At Baoji Xiang, the gang leaders of Meihuadu drove out all the residents and guarded both ends of the alley.

Chen Ji leaped down from the courtyard wall and squatted in front of Wang Gui: “Who in the Junqingsi bought information from you? Have I met them?”

This matter had troubled Chen Ji for a long time. The other party had been observing his every move from Luocheng to Jingcheng, always hidden behind the scenes.

He had initially suspected the Mijiedusi, and later the Chen family’s main branch, but he never expected it to be the Junqingsi.

Wang Gui trembled like a sieve: “It was your coachman, Young Master. He came to me to buy information. The first time was in Luocheng. I was buying charcoal for the winter for my family when he approached me and promised one hundred taels of silver.”

Chen Ji thoughtfully asked, “It was always him?”

Wang Gui quickly replied, “No, no. It was him at first, then somehow it changed to someone else, a hawker with a carrying pole… and then when we reached Jingcheng, it changed back to him again.”

Chen Ji mused to himself that Wang Gui was probably not lying.

Si Cao Gui had been forced to leave Ningchao, so it made sense for someone else to buy information during that time. When they reached Jingcheng, it switched back to Si Cao Gui. The timing and movements aligned.

This indicated that Wang Gui was indeed not a spy trained by the Junqingsi, but a Ningchao resident coerced into betrayal.

Moreover, if the other party were a spy, they shouldn’t have been exposed so easily, nor should they have lacked a proper hiding place.

So, why was the Junqingsi buying information about him? Naturally, it was because of his influential uncle in Jingchao, Lu Jin. If Si Cao Gui merely wanted to gather information about him, then the information gathering should have stopped during the period Si Cao Gui was away from Ningchao.

But why was this uncle so persistent in inquiring about him? Was it out of genuine concern or ulterior motives?

Chen Ji was uncertain.

He calmly asked, “I’m just a lowly concubine’s son. Why would he buy information about me?”

Wang Gui explained, “He didn’t just buy information about you; he also bought information about Chen Liqin, Chen Wenzong, and Liang Shi. Years ago, in Jingcheng, he also wanted to buy information about the first and second branches of the Chen family, but they were very wary, and I couldn’t find out anything.”

Chen Ji secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Si Cao Gui had only been gathering information about him, Wang Gui would have likely suspected his collusion with Jingchao long ago.

Seeing Chen Ji remain silent, Wang Gui, with snot and tears, said, “Young Master, I still have a box of gold and silver valuables. If you spare my life, everything in that box is yours.”

Chen Ji nonchalantly said, “You only took a dozen breaths to go out and get that headpiece for Du Niang, which means the box is right next door. If I kill you, the things in the box are still mine.”

He picked up the phoenix coronet and headpiece from the ground: “You and Liang Shi…”

Wang Gui raised three fingers and swore a solemn oath: “Young Master, I have absolutely no connection with Liang Shi. All these years, my troubles with you were at Liang Shi’s instigation. She told me to bribe the gambling den to collude, saying that if the blame was put on you, the Chen family would repay the gambling debt. Sending you to the medical hall was also her idea. She also told me to find a marriage for you with a wicked woman… bribing the yamen to transfer the land in your name to her was also her doing. May she die a terrible death! If I have uttered a single lie, may I be struck by lightning…”

Chen Ji interrupted, “Let me ask you, why did the second branch of the Chen family want to apprehend and silence you?”

Wang Gui quickly replied, “I don’t know…”

Chen Ji then asked, “Then why did you run?”

Wang Gui quickly explained, “I was originally just on normal leave when I suddenly heard that the Madam had passed away. I suspected foul play and didn’t dare to return to the Chen family. Later, I discovered that the second branch of the Chen family had sent people to abduct my wife, so I hid here.”

Chen Ji stood up straight and said with a smile, “Not honest. Pao Ge, interrogate him.”

Pao Ge beckoned to Er Dao: “Pull out his fingernails.”

Er Dao rubbed his head: “How many?”

Pao Ge sighed, “Twenty.”

Er Dao pulled a blacksmith’s fire tongs from his waist and pressed Wang Gui to the ground.

Wang Gui let out a pig-like shriek: “Young Master… Ah!”

Er Dao pulled out the fingernails with precision and brutality, one every breath.

Wang Gui endured the pain and said, “Young Master, I was present when the Second Master and Madam plotted. The Second Master promised to kill you to avenge Young Master Wenxiao. If this was accomplished, the Madam would then take poison and die, and also hand over Chen Liqin’s account book… Ah!”

Er Dao pulled out another fingernail.

Wang Gui cried, “Don’t pull any more, don’t pull any more! Everything I say is the truth… Ah!”

Wang Gui was in agony, spilling everything he knew like beans from a bamboo tube: “Chen Liqin received about thirty thousand taels in bribes, all recorded by Liang Shi and hidden in the house in Shibei Hutong. Liang Shi secretly sent twelve thousand taels to her family over the years. When Liang Shi’s brother visited Luocheng, he lost eight thousand taels in the gambling den. Chen Wenxiao kept two concubines in Luocheng, and he also impregnated two maidservants. Liang Shi ordered me to give them abortifacients to abort the pregnancies…”

Pao Ge scratched his scalp with his pinky finger: “What a mess.”

He knew that Wang Gui had said all there was to say.

But both he and Chen Ji were ruthless and cold-hearted. They waited until Er Dao had pulled out all of Wang Gui’s fingernails and toenails before exchanging a glance: “That should be all he knows.”

Chen Ji squatted down again, gazing at Wang Gui, and frowned, “You don’t have any leverage on Chen Lizhi?”

Wang Gui was drenched in sweat: “You also know Second Master’s nature. If I truly had leverage on him, how could he have allowed me to live until today? He wants to kill me simply because he is overly suspicious. Young Master, please don’t kill me. I can still be useful to you. I can organize all the assets of the third branch for you…”

Chen Ji pondered silently.

Yes, Chen Lizhi killing Wang Gui was simply a matter of rather killing a thousand innocents than letting one guilty person go.

But in that case, Wang Gui could not serve as a key witness. Even if he were sent to Zhaoyu, his testimony could be dismissed as “hearsay” and would not harm Chen Lizhi’s core.

The person they had finally found was completely useless.

Should Wang Gui be kept alive or not?

The courtyard fell silent, and Pao Ge did not disturb Chen Ji’s contemplation.

A moment later, Chen Ji looked up at Pao Ge and said, “Pao Ge, please make a trip yourself to the small alley next to Zhengyangmen Dajie. Tell the person in charge that I want everyone to know that I’ve hidden someone, and he’ll know what to do.”

Pao Ge turned and left, returning half an hour later, after the eight hundred evening drums had finished sounding.

In the darkness, Zhang family’s dead soldiers, masked, entered with Pao Ge, carrying sacks, and looked at Chen Ji: “Who are we hiding?”

Chen Ji pointed to Wang Gui on the ground: “Him.”

The Zhang family’s dead soldier asked again, “How long?”

Chen Ji thought for a moment: “Ten days.”

“Can he die?”

“He can die.”

“Understood.”

The Zhang family’s dead soldier neatly unfolded a sack, put Wang Gui inside, and then looked at Chen Ji: “Find five more people.”

Chen Ji looked at Pao Ge: “Pick five trustworthy gang leaders.”

Pao Ge called five people, who were also individually put into sacks by the Zhang family’s dead soldiers.

While the Zhang family’s dead soldiers were tying the sacks with hemp ropes, Chen Ji suddenly asked, “Have you seen your master recently?”

The Zhang family’s dead soldier glanced at him: “We only do our work. As for the rest, Young Master, please don’t ask too many questions.”

Chen Ji smiled: “Alright, thank you.”

The Zhang family’s dead soldiers carried the six sacks out, loaded them onto six carriages, and after leaving Baoji Xiang, they went their separate ways. There were over twenty dead soldiers in total, six driving the carriages, and the rest escorting them.

After the Zhang family’s dead soldiers left, Pao Ge sighed slightly: “If you and I wanted to raise such dead soldiers, it would probably take ten years of effort. This is the difference in foundation. However, if you could be with Second Miss Zhang…”

Chen Ji patted Pao Ge’s shoulder, interrupting him: “Let’s go too.”

Seeing that he didn’t want to talk more, Pao Ge laughed heartily: “Alright, alright.”

As they walked out of Baoji Xiang, Du Niang was still being restrained by Meihuadu’s gang leaders at the alley entrance. Pao Ge pulled out a silver ingot and threw it to Du Niang: “Thank you for your help this time. If you encounter difficulties in the future, you can come to Meihuadu to find me. I, Pao Ge, owe you a favor. And that gold hairpin he promised you, you can keep it for yourself.”

Du Niang suddenly called out to him: “Pao Ge, wait a moment.”

Pao Ge turned back: “Hm?”

Du Niang, however, handed the silver back to Pao Ge, and bowed respectfully: “Though Du Niang loves money, I cannot accept Pao Ge’s silver.”

Pao Ge raised an eyebrow in surprise: “Why, is my silver different from others’?”

Du Niang smiled: “Pao Ge doesn’t remember me?”

Pao Ge scratched his scalp with his pinky finger: “Now that you mention it, I think I do remember. You are… you are… who was it again?”

Du Niang smiled sweetly: “Du Niang is a commoner; it’s normal that you don’t remember. I was originally a courtesan in Meirui Lou in Meihuadu. After you took over Meihuadu, you returned our status as free citizens and also gave us some travel money. I had saved some money, thinking of buying my freedom when I grew old and less attractive, but it turned out I didn’t need to. After leaving Meihuadu, I used that money to buy a small house here.”

Pao Ge suddenly understood: “So that’s how it is.”

Du Niang bowed respectfully again: “Today, San Shan Hui announced that you were looking for someone, and I remembered it early on.”

Pao Ge laughed freely, still tossing the silver to Du Niang: “Keep it, consider it a box of rouge from me.”

Du Niang rubbed the silver ingot, giggling: “Then I’ll buy rouge and put it on my lips, and Pao Ge can come every day to take some…”

Her words came to an abrupt halt as Er Dao pinched her lips with two fingers and said in a muffled voice: “Don’t say any more, my brother can’t handle that kind of test.”

Pao Ge slapped him on the back of the head: “You’re too talkative.”

Chen Ji boarded the Chen family’s carriage, gesturing for Pao Ge and Er Dao to join him.

Once the three were seated, Chen Ji said to the coachman, “To Meihuadu.”

He looked at Pao Ge, silently pointing at the coachman through the carriage curtain, but said aloud, “Whether this succeeds or not depends on this one attempt. Someone wants to kill me; there’s no reason to let them get away with it.”

Pao Ge understood, speaking in riddles: “This person is extremely crucial, like a nail in a coffin… Why not send him to the palace tonight?”

Chen Ji shook his head: “Meng Ji has not yet arrived in Jingcheng. Even if he spoke now, it would only be a one-sided statement. Meng Ji is a close attendant to His Majesty, deeply trusted. It will only be effective when he arrives in Jingcheng seven days later and performs the dream-entering technique before the Emperor.”

Pao Ge nodded: “Understood…”

At this point, the carriage suddenly swayed.

Chen Ji lifted the curtain. The coachman, who had been steadily driving the carriage, was no longer in his seat. He looked into the distance towards Zhengyangmen Dajie; the person had actually abandoned the carriage and fled, heading straight to the inner city to report.

Er Dao squeezed out of the carriage, grabbed the reins, and turned back towards Meihuadu.

Pao Ge looked at Chen Ji: “You don’t have conclusive evidence, so you want to use Wang Gui to lure out the second branch of the Chen family?”

Chen Ji leaned against the carriage wall, slowly exhaling a turbid breath: “It’s the only way. I have to gamble if he’ll believe it, and he has to gamble how much Wang Gui really knows.”

Pao Ge mused: “Will he gamble?”

Chen Ji calmly said: “This is not about whether he will gamble, but whether the Chen family’s patriarch is willing to gamble.”

Pao Ge was startled, momentarily failing to understand the meaning of this sentence.

Chen Ji smiled: “Pao Ge, you’ve worked hard today. I also need to lie low these days. I’m leaving.”

With that, he jumped out of the carriage and disappeared into the night.