Green Mountain-Chapter 575 - 435: Fishing for a Bait

In Baoji Alley, the ruffians from Meihua Ferry Crossing drove all the residents out, guarding the entrance and exit of the alley.

Chen Ji leaped down from the courtyard wall, squatting in front of Wang Gui: "In the Military Intelligence Department, who bought intelligence from you? Have I seen them before?"

This issue had troubled Chen Ji for a long time. The person had been observing his every move from Luocheng City to the Imperial Capital while remaining hidden.

Previously, he suspected the Spy Department, then the Chen family’s main house, yet he never expected it to be the Military Intelligence Department.

Wang Gui shook like a sifter: "It was that coachman by your side, young master. He came to me for information. The first time was in Luocheng City, when I was gathering winter charcoal for my family. He approached me and promised one hundred silver taels."

Chen Ji mused: "It was him all along?"

Wang Gui hurriedly replied: "No, no, it started with him, but then someone else took over—a peddler with a carrying pole. When we got to the Imperial Capital, he switched back to him."

Chen Ji pondered quietly, believing Wang Gui was not lying.

Si Caogui had been forced to leave the Ning Dynasty, and during that time, someone else came to buy information. When they reached the Imperial Capital, it switched back to Si Caogui—everything matched up.

Thus, Wang Gui was indeed not a specially trained spy from the Military Intelligence Department but a coerced and turned Ning Dynasty person.

Moreover, if the person was a spy, they wouldn’t expose their location so easily, nor would they lack a proper hideaway.

Then why did the Military Intelligence Department want his information? Naturally, it was because of his uncle in the Jing Dynasty, Lu Jin, who held a high and powerful position. If it was merely Si Caogui wanting information about him, then during Si Caogui’s absence from the Ning Dynasty, it should have ceased.

But why was this uncle so persistent in inquiring about him? Was it out of care or was there some ulterior motive?

Chen Ji wasn’t sure.

He said serenely, "I’m just a minor bastard; why would he buy my information?"

Wang Gui explained: "He didn’t just buy your information; he also bought information on Chen Liqin, Chen Wenzong, and Mrs. Liang. In the early days in the Imperial Capital, he even wanted information on the main house and second house, but they were too guarded, and I couldn’t get anything."

Chen Ji secretly sighed in relief. If Si Caogui was only after his information, Wang Gui would have long suspected him of colluding with the Jing Dynasty.

Seeing him remain silent for so long, Wang Gui, all snot and tears, said: "Young master, I still have a chest of gold and silver. If you spare my life, everything inside is yours."

Chen Ji nonchalantly replied: "You retrieved the phoenix crown from next door within moments for that woman, Duniang. Killing you would make its contents mine anyway."

He picked up the phoenix crown and jewelry: "You and Mrs. Liang..."

Wang Gui raised three fingers, swearing: "Young master, I have no connection with Mrs. Liang. Over the years, whenever I’ve put you in tough spots, it’s always been on Mrs. Liang’s orders. She instructed me to bribe the Gambling House for false testimonies, saying they would pin everything on you, and the Chen family would pay off the gambling debts. Sending you to the Medical Hall was also her idea, and she even set up a bad marriage for you, bribed the government office to transfer your farmlands to her name, all orchestrated by her. If I’ve lied, may the heavens strike me down..."

Chen Ji interrupted: "Then why does the Chen family’s second house want to silence you?"

Wang Gui hastily responded: "I don’t know..."

Chen Ji pressed further: "Then why did you run?"

Wang Gui quickly explained: "I was just taking normal leave when I suddenly heard about Madam’s death. I suspected something fishy, so I didn’t dare return to the Chen family. Later, when I found out the Chen family’s second house had abducted my wife, I hid here."

Chen Ji stood upright, smiling as he said: "Not honest. Brother Pao, conduct the interrogation."

Brother Pao waved to Er Dao: "Rip off his fingernails." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Er Dao scratched his head: "How many?"

Brother Pao replied helplessly: "Twenty."

Er Dao pulled a blacksmith’s hot pincers from his waist, pinning Wang Gui to the ground.

Wang Gui let out a pig-like squeal: "Young master... ah!"

Er Dao pulled off the nails with precise, ruthless accuracy, one after another with each fleeting breath.

Wang Gui endured the pain: "Young master, I was present when Second Master and the Madam conspired. Second Master promised to kill you to avenge Young Master Wenxiao. If successful, the Madam will take poison and die, and also hand over Chen Liqin’s account book... ah!"

Er Dao pulled another nail.

Wang Gui cried bitterly: "No more, stop it! Every word I’ve said is the truth... ah!"

Wang Gui, in utter agony, spilled everything he knew, like beans pouring from a bamboo tube: "The bribes received by Chen Liqin amount to about thirty thousand silver taels, all recorded by Mrs. Liang, hidden at the house in Shibei Alley. Over the years, Mrs. Liang secretly sent twelve thousand taels of silver to her family. Her brother, visiting from Luocheng City, lost eight thousand taels in the gambling house. Chen Wenxiao kept two mistresses in Luocheng, and made two maids bear his offspring, both were aborted on Mrs. Liang’s orders..."

Brother Pao used his pinky finger to scratch his scalp: "What a mess."

He knew that Wang Gui had said all he had to say.

However, given that both he and Chen Ji were hard-hearted individuals, they waited until Er Dao had removed all of Wang Gui’s fingernails and toenails before exchanging a look: "This should be everything he knows."

Chen Ji squatted back down, staring at Wang Gui, frowning: "You have no leverage against Chen Lizhi?"

Wang Gui, drenched in sweat, replied: "You know Second Master’s nature. If I had any leverage against him, how could he allow me to live until today? He wants me dead simply due to his suspicious nature. Young master, don’t kill me; I’m still useful to you. I can sort out all the third house’s assets for you..."

Chen Ji pondered silently.

Indeed, Chen Lizhi wanted to kill Wang Gui to leave no stone unturned.

But in this way, Wang Gui cannot serve as crucial testimony; even going to the Imperial Prison, his words could be dismissed as "one-sided," incapable of harming Chen Lizhi’s core.

The hard-found individual was rendered useless.

Should Wang Gui be kept alive?

The courtyard fell silent, Brother Pao didn’t disturb Chen Ji’s contemplation.

After a moment, Chen Ji looked up and said to Brother Pao: "Please go personally to the small alley beside Zhengyang Gate Street. Tell the chief that I want everyone to know I’ve hidden someone, and he will know what to do."

Brother Pao turned and left, coming back after an hour, even after the tolling of the eight hundred evening drums had ended.

Under the night sky, the death soldiers of the Zhang Family entered with Brother Pao, faces covered, carrying a burlap sack, and looked at Chen Ji: "Who to hide?"

Chen Ji pointed at Wang Gui on the ground: "Him."

The Zhang Family death soldier asked again: "How long to hide?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "Ten days."

"Can he die?"

"He can die."

"Understood."

The Zhang Family death soldier deftly unfolded the burlap sack, bagging Wang Gui into it, then looked at Chen Ji: "Find five more people."

Chen Ji looked at Brother Pao: "Pick five trustworthy ruffians."

Brother Pao called five people, who were also bundled into the sacks by the Zhang Family death soldiers one by one.

As the Zhang Family death soldiers were tying the sacks with twine, Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Have you seen your master recently?"

The Zhang Family death soldier glanced at him: "We only do the tasks; the rest, Young Master need not ask much."

Chen Ji smiled: "Alright, thank you."

The Zhang Family death soldiers carried the six burlap sacks out, loaded them onto six carriages, and after leaving Baoji Alley, they each went their separate ways. In total, over twenty death soldiers came, six driving the carriages, and the rest followed alongside for protection.

After the Zhang Family death soldiers left, Brother Pao sighed slightly: "It would take us ten years to cultivate such death soldiers. That’s the difference in foundation. But if you could get along with the Second Miss Zhang..."

Chen Ji patted Brother Pao’s shoulder, interrupting: "Let’s go too."

Seeing that he was unwilling to talk more, Brother Pao laughed heartily: "Forget it, forget it."

As they walked out of Baoji Alley, Du Niang was still being held at the alley entrance by the ruffians from Meihua Ferry Crossing. Brother Pao pulled out a silver ingot and tossed it to Du Niang: "Thanks for this time. If you encounter trouble in the future, you can find me at Meihua Ferry Crossing. I, Brother Pao, owe you a favor. And that golden hairpin promised to you, just keep it yourself."

Du Niang suddenly called to him: "Brother Pao, wait a moment."

Brother Pao turned back: "Hmm?"

But Du Niang returned the silver to Brother Pao, and curtsied: "Du Niang may be greedy, but cannot accept Brother Pao’s silver."

Brother Pao raised an eyebrow unexpectedly: "Why, is there a difference in my silver compared to others’?"

Du Niang smiled: "Brother Pao doesn’t remember me?"

Brother Pao scratched his scalp with his little finger: "Now that you mention it, I think I remember. You are... you are... who are you again?"

Du Niang smiled gently: "Du Niang is just a commoner, it’s normal that you don’t remember. I was once a red courtesan in Meirui Building at Meihua Ferry Crossing. After you took over Meihua Ferry, you released us from indenture and even gave us some travel money. I previously saved some money, planning to redeem myself when I grew old and lost my looks. But now, it’s no longer needed. After leaving Meihua Ferry, I used the redemption money to settle in a small house here."

Brother Pao suddenly realized: "So that’s it."

Du Niang curtsied again: "Today, the Three Mountains Association spread the word that you were looking for someone, so I kept it in mind since the morning."

Brother Pao chuckled freely and tossed the silver back to Du Niang: "Just keep it, consider it as a gift for a box of rouge."

Du Niang fondled the silver ingot, giggling: "Then I’ll buy some rouge and apply it to my lips, Brother Pao can come daily to take some..."

She abruptly stopped speaking, as Er Dao pinched her lips with two fingers and said in a muffled voice: "Say no more, my brother can’t handle this kind of test."

Brother Pao slapped the back of his head: "You talk too much."

Chen Ji boarded the Chen family carriage and signaled Brother Pao and Er Dao to join him.

Once the three were seated, Chen Ji said to the driver: "To Meihua Ferry."

He looked at Brother Pao and, through the curtain, silently pointed at the driver but said: "Whether we succeed this time depends on this one trip. Someone wants to kill me, and there’s no reason to let them go unchecked."

Brother Pao got the hint and spoke in riddles filled with clouds and mists: "This person is extremely crucial, he is nailed down... Why not send him into the palace tonight?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "Meng Ji hasn’t entered the capital yet, even if he speaks, it’s just one side of the story. Meng Ji is a close attendant of His Majesty, deeply trusted. When he arrives in the capital in seven days and performs the dream-entry magic before the Imperial Court, only then will speaking be useful."

Brother Pao nodded: "Understood..."

At that point, the carriage suddenly shook.

Chen Ji lifted the curtain and saw that the driver, who was originally steadily driving the carriage, was no longer in his seat. He gazed into Zhengyang Gate Street and saw the driver abandoning the carriage and fleeing towards the inner city to report.

Er Dao scrambled out of the carriage, grabbing the reins to turn back toward Meihua Ferry.

Brother Pao looked at Chen Ji: "You have no solid evidence, so you want to use Wang Gui to lure the Chen family’s second household out?"

Chen Ji leaned against the carriage wall, exhaling a long breath: "That’s the only way. I have to bet on whether he’ll believe. He has to bet on how much Wang Gui actually knows."

Brother Pao mused: "Will he bet?"

Chen Ji said calmly: "This matter is not about whether he will bet, but whether the head of the Chen family is willing to bet."

Brother Pao was stunned, unable to grasp the meaning of this sentence for a moment.

Chen Ji smiled: "Brother Pao, you worked hard today. I need to lay low for a few days. Farewell."

Having said that, he jumped off the carriage and disappeared into the night.