Gold Pig looked at Chen Ji, smiling, and said, “The Prime Minister is very strategic. He knew Cloud Ram and White Rabbit were too incompetent to succeed and would only cause trouble, so he instructed me to wait in the wings, ready to step in the moment they failed. The Military Intelligence Department and the Liu family likely don’t realize I’m already in Luocheng. This is the perfect moment to ambush and arrest them.”

Chen Ji felt a growing sense of dread; the Prime Minister’s mind was incredibly deep and meticulous.

So, Cloud Ram and White Rabbit were merely decoys, put forth to divert attention. Once they fell, the enemy, lulled by a brief victory, would relax. That was when Gold Pig would quietly enter the scene. With the enemy exposed and us concealed, success would be guaranteed.

It was likely that their promotion to the Zodiacs, half a year in advance, had been orchestrated precisely for this moment!

To scheme so ruthlessly even against his own people—no wonder he was known as “the Venomous Prime Minister”!

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, “Master Gold Pig, I am not part of the Secret Directorate. I would appreciate it if you didn’t disclose classified information to me.”

Gold Pig walked over and familiarly grasped Chen Ji’s hand, a wide smile on his face. “Of course I’ll tell you! I’m counting on you to join the Secret Directorate and help me earn achievements! Oh, I haven’t even told you the good news yet: the Prime Minister has issued an edict specifically approving your entry into the Secret Directorate. From now on, we’ll be colleagues. With your talent, you’re sure to climb the ranks rapidly.”

Chen Ji’s hand was enveloped by Gold Pig’s fleshy grasp, and goosebumps appeared on his arm. He quickly and humbly replied, “Master Gold Pig, you flatter me. I’m not that capable.”

“Of course you are!” Gold Pig exclaimed. “I originally thought Cloud Ram would fail with Zhou Chengyi and be forced to leave Luocheng in disgrace within a day. But unexpectedly, they not only found evidence but also convicted Liu Shiyu beyond doubt, and even uncovered Old Master Liu’s feigned death. At the time, I wondered, these two are skilled at killing, but when did they acquire these other abilities? Then I understood—it was all because of you!”

“It wasn’t me,” Chen Ji shook his head. “Master Gold Pig, I’m merely a medical apprentice.”

“Don’t be modest. Lin Chaoqing has already reported the full sequence of events to the Prime Minister, and Dream Chicken has also reported his interrogation of you through a dream to the Prime Minister. With both reports combined, the truth naturally came to light.”

It dawned on Chen Ji. No wonder Gold Pig had come for him; the Prime Minister already knew of his existence.

He asked curiously, “I heard Master Cloud Ram say that the selection process for operatives is extremely stringent.”

Gold Pig smiled and patted his shoulder. “That’s true, but your outstanding performance in the Liu Shiyu case caught the Prime Minister’s eye, and he holds talent in high regard, so this is a matter of special dispensation.”

“What are the benefits of joining the Secret Directorate? What’s the salary?” Chen Ji asked.

“Salary?” Gold Pig chuckled. “A Sparrow-level operative earns twenty-four taels of silver annually, a Pheasant-level earns twenty-six taels. At the Dove level, the annual salary is twenty-eight taels of silver, at which point you are equal in standing to a magistrate of a large county. And for the Haidongqing rank, it’s even more remarkable; even ordinary prefects will treat you with respect. Do you know what a Haidongqing is? This beast is inherently ferocious; if hungry, it will attack anything flying in the sky.”

“What about the Twelve Zodiacs?” Chen Ji asked again.

“You want to be one of the Twelve Zodiacs?” Gold Pig regarded Chen Ji with interest, but continued speaking. “The Twelve Zodiacs are, of course, more powerful than the Haidongqing. They hold the royal token and banner and can exercise the power of ‘execute first, report later’… However, there are also variations among the Twelve Zodiacs themselves.”

“Oh?”

“The Twelve Zodiacs are divided into four ranks: A, B, C, and D. The D-rank includes the Rat, Rabbit, and Ram.”

Chen Ji mused to himself that Cloud Ram and White Rabbit held the lowest status among the Twelve Zodiacs.

Gold Pig continued, “Next is the C-rank, currently comprising Gold Pig, Treasure Monkey, and Dream Chicken.”

“And the B-rank?”

“Corpse Dog, Mountain Ox, and Black Snake.”

“And the A-rank?”

Gold Pig smiled. “The A-rank is truly formidable. As the saying goes, the ‘Top Three’ are unshakable, while the ‘Lower Nine’ are ever-changing. Over the years, most of the other Zodiacs have been replaced, but only the top three have remained like unyielding pillars, never failing in their duties and never having been replaced.”

“These three are White Dragon, Heavenly Horse, and Sick Tiger!”

“The authority of the Top Three Zodiacs is, of course, different from ours. We still need to report to Master Wu Xiu, who then relays our reports. The Top Three, however, report directly to the Prime Minister. What they do, or are doing, is not something we can inquire about. If there are any orders, the Lower Nine Zodiacs must obey the Top Three unconditionally.”

The clinic fell silent. Only then did Chen Ji gain a complete understanding of the Secret Directorate.

Gold Pig stopped speaking. He took off his hat and placed it on the counter, allowing Chen Ji to digest the information.

In the quiet environment, Chen Ji quickly pondered: why had the other party revealed so much to him? Was it due to a lack of cunning on his part? Certainly not.

If he truly lacked cunning, he wouldn’t have waited so patiently to appear at this opportune moment.

This was no mere Gold Pig; he was clearly a master of feigning weakness to lure his prey.

Chen Ji asked, “May I ask… where are Master Cloud Ram and Master White Rabbit now?”

Gold Pig smiled. “They were originally to be escorted to the capital for judgment. But then the Prime Minister’s edict arrived: instead of returning to the capital, they are to be directly banished to Lingnan.”

Chen Ji shook his head. “Master Gold Pig, may I decline joining the Secret Directorate? Even powerful figures like Master Cloud Ram and Master White Rabbit met such an unfortunate end. My own fate surely won’t be much better…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

Just then, a sound suddenly came from the backyard.

Chen Ji glanced at the backyard, and when he turned back, Gold Pig had vanished!

He looked up, only to see Gold Pig’s corpulent figure had somehow leaped onto the roof beam, squatting there and making no sound at all!

Chen Ji was speechless.

This Gold Pig certainly knew how to disappear at the first hint of trouble!

Gold Pig squinted slightly from the roof beam, as if facing a great threat. He whispered, “Kid, go check it out.”

At the backyard wall, White Carp’s head emerged from behind, carefully surveying the yard. When she saw Chen Ji, she suddenly felt disheartened.

She had thought she was out late tonight and could avoid paying a toll once Chen Ji was asleep. But she hadn’t expected this medical apprentice seemed never to sleep!

White Carp leaned over the wall and looked at Chen Ji, curiously asking, “Hey, what are you doing in the yard in the middle of the night?”

Chen Ji defiantly replied, “Collecting tolls, of course.”

White Carp grew even angrier. She climbed over the wall, descended the ladder, and huffily pulled out four silver peanuts from her pouch, slapping them down hard into Chen Ji’s palm. “Don’t call yourself Chen Ji anymore, call yourself Chen the Black-Hearted!”

“Huh, why four?” Chen Ji asked, puzzled.

At that moment, another head appeared over the wall—an unfamiliar girl.

White Carp waved at her. “Lingyun, there’s a ladder inside. Use the ladder to come down.”

The girl wore a dark blue outfit with a green jade hairpin in her hair, dressed in boy’s clothing, and nimbly scaled into the courtyard.

The Prince and the young monk followed closely behind.

The girl named Lingyun looked at the four silver peanuts in Chen Ji’s palm and asked curiously, “What is this for?”

White Carp explained, “This is his toll.”

“A toll?” Zhu Lingyun paused, then instinctively said, “Isn’t the Imperial Medical Academy part of our Prince’s Manor? He’s merely a medical apprentice supported by our manor. Why should we pay him a toll?”

Chen Ji looked at White Carp. “Who is this?”

“This is my sister, Zhu Lingyun,” White Carp introduced with a smile. “She rarely goes out. I’m taking her out to enjoy herself this time, so please don’t mind what she says; she has some elitist notions.”

But Zhu Lingyun exclaimed in surprise, “White Carp, why are you so polite to a mere servant!”

White Carp’s face darkened. “What do you mean, ‘servant’? Father always told us not to act superior. Why do you always pick up your mother’s habits?”

Zhu Lingyun also became upset. “You’re actually arguing with me over an outsider? What did my mother ever do to you!”

White Carp didn’t pursue the argument. “Apologize! You’ve forgotten everything Father taught us!”

“Why should I apologize? Isn’t he just a servant!” Zhu Lingyun said rebelliously.

The Prince and the young monk watched the scene and quickly intervened, trying to mediate. “Stop arguing, stop arguing, there’s nothing to argue about… Lingyun, you shouldn’t speak to Chen Ji like that.”

Zhu Lingyun’s large almond eyes widened as she looked incredulously at the Prince. “Brother, you’re helping White Carp again!?”

The Prince was silent for a moment. “I’m not helping anyone; I’m simply sticking to the facts. When we were at Donglin Academy, Prince Fu’s son, Zhu Yu, acted arrogantly every day, and wasn’t he eventually expelled by the masters? Don’t let those scholars at Donglin Academy spoil you for too long and make you forget Father’s teachings.”

Tears welled in Zhu Lingyun’s eyes. After a long silence, she turned around, climbed back up the ladder, and returned to the Prince’s Manor. “You all go play; I’m not going!”

Chen Ji remained silent throughout.

The Prince sighed, then turned to Chen Ji. “I’m sorry to let you witness that. Lingyun is actually a good person; she just has a bit of a temper.”

Chen Ji responded with a smile, “It’s no bother.”

He handed a silver peanut back to White Carp. White Carp exclaimed in surprise, “You’d return money once it’s in your hands?”

“I don’t take what I haven’t earned.”

The Prince gave a thumbs up. “Principled!”

Chen Ji returned to the common sleeping platform and gently woke Liang Mao’er. “Tell your brother to go drinking with the Prince, and remember to eat plenty when you’re in Red Dress Alley.”

Liang Gou’er suddenly sat up, his eyes gleaming. “Drinking? Where are we drinking?”

Chen Ji was speechless.

Liang Mao’er was speechless.

Once they had left, the clinic returned to its quiet state.

Gold Pig lightly dropped from the roof beam, looked at Chen Ji, and asked, assessing, “You seem to have a good relationship with the Prince and Princess White Carp?”

“Not exactly,” Chen Ji shook his head.

Gold Pig said with a smile, “I heard Princess White Carp defend you just now.”

He said in an unmistakable tone, “Young man, joining my Secret Directorate offers numerous advantages. Working under the Prime Minister, you will never fail. From today, you are officially an operative. Your first task is to follow the Prince. His every movement must be reported to me. I’m leaving.”

Chen Ji stood in the shadows of the clinic, watching Gold Pig’s retreating back, and quietly replied, “Understood, Master Gold Pig.”

As the clinic door gently closed, he returned to the backyard, picked up a bamboo tube, and in the cool autumn night, rolled up his sleeves and diligently scraped frost from the walls.