“Lord Jinzhu,” Chen Ji began, “what does the Jing Dynasty culprit we need to catch look like?”

“He was dark and elusive; no one saw his face clearly.”

“What about his exact height?”

“That’s also hard to determine.”

“Then that makes things easier…”

Chen Ji had imagined he might be caught due to some oversight, and that Gui and Wu Hongbiao, if they hadn’t escaped, would confess his involvement in prison. After returning to the medical clinic last night, he had remained in a state of high alert, with his money always on him, ready to flee with Wuyun at any moment. But Chen Ji hadn’t expected the Secret Service to make him arrest himself…

He was somewhat perplexed. “My Lord, why me? You are wise, and your intelligence far surpasses mine; why should I do it?”

In the main hall of the medical clinic, Jinzhu was dressed like a tenant farmer, a straw hat on his head. The hemp rope of the hat outlined his double chin, making him look slightly comical.

Jinzhu took off his straw hat and placed it on the counter. He sincerely clasped Chen Ji’s hands and said, “You don’t need to belittle yourself. You were able to help Yunyang and Jiaomian find evidence against the Liu family, so you naturally have exceptional abilities. I might as well tell you, the Luocheng Secret Service has been infiltrated. It was because of a leaked message last night that we failed to catch the Jing Dynasty culprit. Now, in the Luocheng Secret Service, you are the only one I can trust.”

Old Man Yao put away his ledger and silently walked towards the backyard, fearing he would burst out laughing if he didn’t leave soon.

Jinzhu was famous in the capital for three things: his patronage of Tianma, his discerning palate and love for fine food, and his shrewdness. Such a shrewd man was now holding the true culprit’s hand and discussing trust.

Chen Ji silently pulled his hand back. “Why don’t you personally apprehend this Jing Dynasty culprit?”

Jinzhu explained with a smile, “My most important task now is to unmask the mole. So, you and I will act separately; you handle your task, and I’ll handle mine. I will send six secret agents to follow and protect you.”

Jinzhu added, “You must apprehend the Jing Dynasty culprit. If you succeed, you will receive the primary credit; if you don’t, don’t blame me for turning my back on you. That’s how the Secret Service operates; even blood brothers cannot impede official business.”

After a moment’s thought, Chen Ji said, “Lord Jinzhu, I can try to apprehend this rampant Jing Dynasty culprit, but I have one request: please keep my identity confidential. You know this is Liu family territory, and Liu Shiyu is certainly not the only one colluding with the Jing Dynasty. If I repeatedly achieve merits, I might incur the Liu family’s enmity.”

Jinzhu chuckled. “Don’t worry, my reason for dressing like this to see you was precisely to conceal your identity. Tonight at Hai Shi, at the ‘Yingke Restaurant’ in Hongyi Lane, someone will be waiting for you there.”

With that said, he put his straw hat back on and turned to leave.

Just then, a carriage stopped at the medical clinic’s entrance. The curtain was drawn back from inside, and the coachman quickly fetched a footstool and placed it beside the carriage, helping a middle-aged man with a handlebar mustache alight. Chen Ji recognized the man as the steward of the Chen Residence, whom he had seen before when carrying things home during his days off.

The steward wore a corrugated cap with a tassel, thick black boots, and even his clothes were a light green satin robe. He did not look like a steward at all; he resembled an official.

As Jinzhu exited, he brushed past the steward, gave him a surprised glance, and hurried away.

The steward, after alighting from the carriage, slowly walked into the medical clinic with his hands clasped behind his back, looking around the clinic with interest. He spotted Chen Ji and asked with a smile, “Are you doing well here?”

Chen Ji stood calmly by the counter. “What are you here for?”

The steward smiled and beckoned to the coachman outside the door. He took a string of copper coins from the coachman and handed them to Chen Ji. “Three hundred wen, please count them.”

Chen Ji didn’t reach out to take them. His voice was calm. “No need to count. Just put them on the counter.”

The steward’s hand, holding the money, froze in mid-air. A moment later, he casually tossed the copper coins onto the counter and slowly stroked his handlebar mustache. “Are you complaining about the small monthly stipend? Do you know how many common people died in Yuzhou due to the flood this summer? Now, three hundred wen can even buy a maid’s indenture in West Yuzhou or South Yuzhou. It wasn’t easy for the family to support your medical studies; don’t forget your roots.”

As his words fell, Baili walked out from the backyard, calling out as she walked, “Chen Ji, come make dumplings with me! Dumplings taste best when made together. Oh, who is this?”

Upon seeing Baili, the steward’s expression immediately changed. He spoke humbly, “Princess Baili, I am the steward of the Luocheng Tongzhi’s residence. Last Lantern Festival, I accompanied my master to a banquet at the Prince’s Residence and saw you from a distance.”

Baili was surprised. “Have we met? I don’t recall.”

The steward hesitated for a moment. “I was seated with the servants.”

“Oh… you’re here for Chen Ji. Then you two chat. Chen Ji, hurry up and come make dumplings after you’re done talking!” Baili said, returning to the backyard.

The steward watched her retreating figure, then looked at Chen Ji with uncertainty. “Why is Princess Baili at the Taiping Medical Clinic?”

Chen Ji casually explained, “She has a good relationship with my master, so she often visits.”

The steward felt relieved. He had thought Chen Ji was sent to this clinic as a blessing in disguise and had gained the favor of the Prince’s daughter. He then changed the subject and imperiously said, “In three days, it will be the day Young Master Wenzong and Young Master Wenxiao take the autumn imperial examination. Last night, the master instructed me to call you home for a meal the night after tomorrow.”

Chen Ji glanced at him. “Please go back and report that I’m busy with my studies lately and cannot return.”

The steward’s face darkened. “You don’t listen to the master’s words anymore? Have you forgotten the Chen Residence’s kindness in raising you? If that’s the case, you might not even get your monthly three hundred wen stipend anymore.”

Chen Ji smiled. “If it’s gone, it’s gone. And don’t come to Taiping Medical Clinic often in the future.”

The steward laughed in anger. “You said that yourself!”

Chen Ji nodded. “Yes, I said it.”

The steward flicked his sleeves and departed, coming and going quickly, as if unwilling to waste any more time there.

At this moment, Baili poked her head out from the back corridor. “Did you quarrel with your family’s steward?”

“Yes.”

Baili said softly, “You’re so smart, you must have noticed he absolutely doesn’t want you to return to the Chen Residence the day after tomorrow. Stewards in large households aren’t fools; they would never offend people without reason. This steward deliberately used harsh words and an unpleasant demeanor to provoke you into saying something impulsive, so he could go back and relay it to your father. You shouldn’t have fallen into his trap.”

Chen Ji turned to look at Baili and said with a smile, “It’s fine whether I go back to the Chen Residence or not; I wasn’t planning on returning anyway.”

Baili said, “Oh. If you’re not going back, then don’t. Let’s go make dumplings!”

“Okay,” Chen Ji said, looking towards Anxi Street outside the door. Listening to the rhythmic chopping sound of dumpling filling coming from the backyard, his mood immediately calmed.

Night.

Hongyi Lane, which was usually bustling, had suddenly become desolate. On the long street paved with bluestone slabs, vibrant red lanterns still hung high as usual, but there were no pedestrians or patrons to be seen. Singers and dancers stood leaning against railings, listless. Finally, they saw a customer turn into the alley from the west. The girls were just about to shake their red sleeves, but upon seeing the straw hat on his head, they fell silent as cicadas in winter and retreated into their rooms one after another.

Yingke Restaurant was closed. The main hall was completely dark, without even a single oil lamp. Six secret agents, dressed in black, each holding a long saber, leaned against the wooden pillars like assassins waiting for their prey to arrive.

In the dark silence, someone suddenly asked, “Xifeng, did the Lord say who he called to assist with the investigation? Someone assisting with the investigation is putting on such airs, making us wait an entire day and waste our chance to earn merit.”

“It was set for Hai Shi to arrive here, and now it’s only one stick of incense away from Zi Shi. Why is no one here yet?”

The secret agent named Xifeng looked up, his sharp gaze under the straw hat sweeping across everyone in the darkness. “The Lord told us to wait, so we wait.”

Someone whispered, “Xifeng, you’re about to be promoted to Haidongqing; don’t let others delay you from earning merit. If this case is handled well, you can be deployed as a Haidongqing. If Lord Jinzhu could help pull some strings in Huainan and Huaibei to raid a few small salt merchants’ homes, you might accumulate a substantial fortune.”

Xifeng sneered, “You say raid, and we raid? Salt merchants all have powerful connections, and Southern civil officials collectively reject our Directorate of Ceremonial. It’s not something you can just do by saying so.”

“Heh heh, Brother Xifeng, you don’t know. A secret agent under Baohou is from my hometown. I heard him say that whenever a new Haidongqing takes office in Lianghuai, the salt merchant guild would offer one or two small salt merchants to the new Haidongqing to establish authority. Their homes can be raided at will, and their heads chopped off at will. After that, everyone gets along fine, and appearances are maintained. Three years in office, and you’ll have endless beauties and wealth.”

Xifeng scoffed, “Do you think the Chief Judicial Officer is just twiddling his thumbs? If such a handle falls into someone’s hands, won’t you be at their mercy in the future? I follow Lord Jinzhu to accomplish great things; how can I lose sight of the bigger picture for a small gain?”

A secret agent suddenly probed, “I heard that Lord Jinzhu has a feud with the Xu family from Hudi. Is that true?”

Xifeng’s voice turned cold. “Are you boys tired of living? How dare you inquire about the Lord’s private affairs? Do you want me to send you to the internal prison to cool off?”

“No, no, no,” someone quickly said. “Aren’t we just bored? By the way, why hasn’t the person Lord Jinzhu mentioned arrived yet?”

Just as the words fell, the front door of Yingke Restaurant creaked open. Everyone became solemn, resuming their stern, unsmiling appearances.

Xifeng turned to look, seeing the newcomer wearing a straw hat and a gray cloth covering his face. He was startled for a moment and subconsciously glanced at the person’s legs. The newcomer’s gait was normal; he did not appear to be injured.

Xifeng, having been with Jinzhu, knew Chen Ji’s capabilities, and Chen Ji was also a native of Luocheng, so he thought the person arriving tonight would be Chen Ji. But it now appeared the newcomer was not Chen Ji.

Xifeng asked in a serious tone, “Why are you late? Do you know that delaying will let the Jing Dynasty culprit escape?”

Chen Ji stopped and stood opposite the six men. He did not answer Xifeng, but said in a low voice, “Are you secret agents under Lord Jinzhu?”

Xifeng was momentarily stunned. “Yes.”

Chen Ji nodded. “Lord Jinzhu has given an order: from now on, you are under my command to assist me in apprehending the Jing Dynasty spy.”

The six secret agents exchanged glances, their eyes holding unclear meaning. Jinzhu hadn’t told them they were to take orders from this person. Everyone had thought Xifeng would be in charge this time, and that the newcomer was merely someone to assist with the investigation.

Xifeng pondered for a moment and did not argue with Chen Ji about this matter. After giving the other secret agents a meaningful look, he clasped his fists and bowed to Chen Ji. “My Lord, I will first lead you to see the scene of the struggle, to see if you have any strategies.”

With a solemn expression, he led Chen Ji to the backyard, where six secret agents’ bodies lay sprawled on the ground, the bloodstains still unwashed. Xifeng looked at Chen Ji and said softly, “My Lord, the killer slew six secret agents right here last night. The bodies and items haven’t been moved. Please examine.”

With that, Xifeng fell silent, unwilling to say another word, and stared intently at Chen Ji. The other six secret agents watched keenly. Everyone understood Xifeng’s gaze: it was a challenge intended to make Chen Ji understand that if he didn’t have real ability, he wouldn’t be able to lead the six of them. Xifeng was now only one step away from becoming a Haidongqing; if an outsider claimed the primary credit, Xifeng might have to wait another year. It wasn’t that everyone was loyal, but when an outsider was present, exclusion was almost everyone’s subconscious choice.

Time passed, minute by minute. Chen Ji remained with his head bowed in thought, without speaking. A secret agent signaled Xifeng with his eyes to speak and take the initiative, but Xifeng was patient. If Chen Ji didn’t speak, he wouldn’t speak.

The next moment, Chen Ji suddenly moved.

The secret agents all looked, seeing him stop at a corner of the courtyard and touch an arrow pinned to the wall. He said calmly, “The killer entered the courtyard from here. After entering, he first ambushed one person, piercing the secret agent’s lung and kidney with a short knife, then hid behind the injured agent to avoid the hand crossbow bolts.”

After speaking, he took two steps forward and stood by a prone body. “The killer left the injured agent here and plunged into the crowd. He then successively used his short knife to break the secret agents’ long sabers, and then…”

The six secret agents immediately exchanged glances again, everyone’s pupils constricted.

Xifeng couldn’t help but ask, “My Lord, how do you deduce there was only one killer here? We never said such a thing. The six secret agents have two types of knife wounds, which strongly suggests two assailants.”

Chen Ji stated casually, “The two types of knife wounds appeared because he seized a secret agent’s saber midway, not because there were two people.”

Xifeng fell silent. They had been constantly re-enacting the scene since last night. Several battle-hardened secret agents, along with several coroners examining the scene, had spent two hours to deduce the killer’s entire process. And now this temporary superior, after merely glancing at the scene, could recreate the entire battle in the time it takes an incense stick to burn! If they had known earlier that he had such ability, why would they have bothered all morning?

Xifeng immediately abandoned the idea of further challenging Chen Ji. Little did they know, Chen Ji was also musing: “So, deduction can be this easy. I just need to recount what I did.” It was as easy as turning over one’s hand.

Xifeng put aside his testing intentions and couldn’t help but ask, “My Lord, the assailant broke sabers as easily as drinking water. We have never heard of such swordsmanship in the martial world. Can you determine the assailant’s identity?”

Chen Ji did not answer, but said calmly, “Don’t rush to conclusions yet. Let me ask you, did the killer only fight here last night?”

Xifeng explained, “There’s another spot, on Tongji Street.”

“Take me there.”

The group walked out of the restaurant, Chen Ji and Xifeng walking side by side through the main hall. However, as the two reached the doorway, just about to exit, Xifeng suddenly paused instinctively, allowing Chen Ji to take a step ahead, while he silently followed behind.