Chapter 128: Uprooted

In the small alley under the night sky, black-clothed secret agents surrounded the area completely.

Chen Ji leaned against the wall eaves, watching the surrounded Yuan shopkeeper through gaps in the crowd.

He suddenly realized that he might not have another chance to secretly kill the other party afterward. The importance the secret agents department placed on this Yuan shopkeeper far exceeded his imagination.

This was the first Jing Dynasty Si Cao the secret agents department had caught. If they used him well, it would be enough to tear a huge wound into the Jing Dynasty military intelligence department.

Jin Zhu did not mind the Yuan shopkeeper, but drilled out of the crowd and pulled Chen Ji aside.

He said in a low voice, "You boy, you're too brave. You haven't even stepped onto the cultivation path yet, and you dare to chase him alone? What if he still has strength left to resist? Even a trapped beast will struggle in its last breath. If he truly hardens his heart and tries to drag you down with him, where would you go to reason?"

Chen Ji explained, "Sir, this villain's identity is not ordinary. We still need to use him to uncover new things. How could we let him escape?"

Jin Zhu laughed in a way that was both crying and laughing, "It's my mistake, too. I was worried you wouldn't handle it well, so I didn't tell you about this plan. Everything tonight was a pre-arranged play. There was no way he was going to escape."

Chen Ji chuckled, "It's good that I didn't delay your plan, sir."

Jin Zhu urged him repeatedly, "Never be so reckless again."

He turned back into the small alley and waved for all the secret agents to withdraw. He then squatted in front of the Yuan shopkeeper and said solemnly, "Yuan shopkeeper, have you recovered? If it wasn't for the 'Shen Qiao' that Tian Ma just fed you, which was refined by the Huangshan Dao Chief, you would already be in the Yellow Springs."

"I know, I know, I recognize 'Shen Qiao'," the Yuan shopkeeper nodded quickly.

Jin Zhu forced a smile and said, "Then is there anything you want to tell me now? You saw the Inner Minister's decree. As long as you are willing to cooperate, a great future awaits you."

The Yuan shopkeeper lowered his head and struggled for a few seconds, then looked up and said, "I still have quite a few accomplices in Luocheng who haven't been caught."

The corner of Jin Zhu's mouth curved slightly, and a smile he couldn't hide appeared in his eyes. "Oh? Tell me."

The Yuan shopkeeper gritted his teeth and said, "Kang Bo, the chief clerk of Mengjin County, is one of ours."

Jin Zhu signaled a secret agent with his eyes, and someone immediately hurried away, riding a fast horse to Mengjin County to arrest Kang Bo.

The Yuan shopkeeper continued, "The workers inside Yingxian Building, Zhang Tong and Zhao Guang, are both our people."

Jin Zhu praised, "This is indeed a place where four taels can move a thousand jin. Yingxian Building is full of high officials and nobles. Casual conversations during banquets could be secrets."

The Yuan shopkeeper shook his head, "Those lords always like to brag after drinking. Our people hiding there could hear seemingly significant intelligence every day, but it often turned out to be false. There was a young scholar before who, after drinking, said his relative was the Governor of Liangjiang and even shared some secrets about Liangjiang. We allocated funds to approach him, banquet him, and win him over. Later, we found out that he had only seen the Governor of Liangjiang once from afar."

Jin Zhu's mouth was wide open, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

The Yuan shopkeeper continued, "The grain and oil shop next to the prefecture office was also opened by us."

"Mingquan Garden in Baifu Alley and Hongxiu Zhao in Hongyi Alley were both opened by us."

As the Yuan shopkeeper said more and more, Jin Zhu became more and more shocked. He hadn't expected there to be so many Jing Dynasty spies still hiding in Luocheng. And as soon as the Yuan shopkeeper opened his mouth, the entire Luocheng military intelligence department was purged.

However, this wasn't what Jin Zhu wanted to know most. He asked coldly, "These peripheral materials can be caught whenever. What I want to know now is, that important figure in Jingwangfu who contacted you, is it Jingwang?"

However, he heard the Yuan shopkeeper say, "It's not Jingwang, it's a Wangfei."

Chen Ji's heart tightened again, and he stared intently at the Yuan shopkeeper.

If the other party revealed Yunfei, what should he do?

Should he find a way to kill Yunfei, or escape before Yunfei was arrested?

In front of the Yuan shopkeeper, Jin Zhu narrowed his eyes, "Which Wangfei? Yunfei or Jingfei?"

The Yuan shopkeeper said, "I don't know either!"

Jin Zhu was furious, "You are a Si Cao, and you say you don't know?"

Chen Ji stepped forward, "Sir, it's probably Jingfei!"

Jin Zhu slowly turned his head, "Because she is Liu Mingxian's sister?"

"Exactly!"

Jin Zhu said, "But I have an informant who says that Jingfei and Liu Mingxian haven't been on good terms for a long time. The brother and sister had an argument in the Liu family ancestral hall at the beginning of the year. Jingfei would definitely not cooperate with Liu Mingxian's plan."

Chen Ji thought for a long time, "But if the main instigator behind the rebellion was Liu Gun, Elder Liu, from the beginning? Jingfei can refuse Liu Mingxian's commands, but she may not be able to refuse her own father's commands. If the Liu family doesn't even trust their own people, how will they trust outsiders?"

Jin Zhu seemed to be in deep thought, "That's right, ultimately it's family. Then investigate based on the suspicion of Jingfei, deploy control over everyone around Jingfei, and monitor everyone who leaves the Wangfu. See where they go, who they meet, and what they say!"

Chen Ji breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Jin Zhu turned his head and stared at the Yuan shopkeeper, saying impatiently, "As a dignified Si Cao, how can you not even know who you are connected to?"

The Yuan shopkeeper quickly explained, "I just recently took office, I just became a Si Cao."

Jin Zhu raised his eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

The Yuan shopkeeper said, "Luocheng was originally in charge of Si Cao Gui. He was originally a direct descendant of the previous military strategist Lu Jin. After Lu Jin retired, Si Cao Xin was transferred from above to Luocheng to replace him. Later, Si Cao Xin was killed by firearms, and Si Cao Gui's whereabouts are unknown. I then had the opportunity to become the new Si Cao Xin."

Jin Zhu was puzzled, "So, you were just recently promoted by Haiying... But for such a major matter, you should know even on your first day as a Si Cao."

The Yuan shopkeeper explained, "Si Cao Gui always held that Wangfu line firmly in his hand. Now that he has run away, I don't even know how to contact the Wangfu."

Jin Zhu said angrily, "Then why don't you find a way to reconnect with Jingwangfu?"

The Yuan shopkeeper looked helpless, "Sir, I haven't thought of a way yet. I was just caught by you. As long as you and the Inner Minister can return my freedom, I have a way to test out who that important figure is."

Jin Zhu asked casually, "Yuan shopkeeper, how do you plan to test?"

The Yuan shopkeeper thought for a moment, "Now the Jing Dynasty military intelligence forces in Luocheng have been uprooted. It's no longer possible to contact that Wangfu important figure through military intelligence personnel. You assign a few people to me, I will train them properly, teach them all the secret language of the military intelligence department, and have them go probe Jingfei. At that time, whether it's Jingfei or not, one test will reveal it."

Jin Zhu pondered this. Wasn't this the same trick that Xifeng used to deceive Liu Mingxian by pretending to be Si Master?

But this trick was indeed useful.

The Yuan shopkeeper asked, "Sir Jin Zhu, does the secret agents department have an informant who interacts very closely with the Wangfu? If so, that would be best. Train him, and he will definitely be able to deceive that important figure."

Jin Zhu slowly looked at Chen Ji beside him... Wasn't this just the best candidate?

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stepped forward, "Sir, with the overall situation in mind, I can take on this heavy responsibility."

However, Jin Zhu said impatiently, "Are you crazy, boy? Why do you go wherever there's danger? You can't go."

Saying that, he waved to call Xifeng, "Assign our informant planted in the Wangfu to the Yuan shopkeeper. I want to know the results of the probe within half a month."

Xifeng clasped his fists, "Understood!"

Chen Ji gave the Yuan shopkeeper a deep look and said nothing more.

The Yuan shopkeeper asked, "Sir Jin Zhu, can you spread the news that I am already dead? Additionally, I need a special person to protect me until my injury is completely recovered."

Jin Zhu smiled and squinted his eyes to reassure him, "Rest assured, someone will protect you. Even if a Dao Seeking realm expert comes, they cannot harm you. When this matter is over, the new identity and official position that the Inner Minister promised you will also be given to you."

Saying that, he kindly helped the Yuan shopkeeper up and got into a carriage.

Chen Ji was originally going to withdraw with Xifeng. However, he saw Jin Zhu lift the curtain and wave at him, "Chen Ji, get in the carriage."

He squeezed into the carriage and hadn't even sat still when he heard the Yuan shopkeeper suddenly say, "Right, two sirs, I still know something about Lu Jin's secret."

Jin Zhu's spirit lifted, and he leaned forward slightly, asking like a string of firecrackers, "Lu Jin? The retired military strategist? What secret?"

The Yuan shopkeeper weighed his words and said, "There has always been a legend within the Jing Dynasty military intelligence department that the military strategist Lu Jin actually has a younger sister in the Ning Dynasty. That year he was able to assassinate the Minister of Revenue, and it also had his younger sister's contribution."

Jin Zhu raised his voice, "Lu Jin still has a younger sister? Why have I never heard anyone mention it before?"

Chen Ji's heart suddenly tightened again, as if seized by a hand.

If this Yuan shopkeeper was not eliminated, it would simply leave endless trouble.

That newly appointed military strategist Lu Guanjun was also a fool, actually sending a soft bone to Luocheng.

Inside the swaying carriage, the Yuan shopkeeper leaned weakly against the carriage wall and explained, "This is just a rumor. But in my humble opinion, it's not groundless."

Jin Zhu became serious, "Tell me."

The Yuan shopkeeper said, "Sir, do you know how Lu Jin assassinated the Minister of Revenue?"

Jin Zhu recalled, "I've seen that file. That day was Laba. The Minister of Revenue, Chen Luyi, went to Yuanjue Temple with the Chen clan people to strike the bell and give porridge. On the way, Chen Luyi had a temporary matter and secretly returned to the city. But on the way, he was ambushed by Lu Jin."

He continued, "According to the battlefield investigation results, Lu Jin was alone at that time. To kill a Minister of Revenue is said to be as difficult as climbing the sky. But that day, Chen Luyi's followers and guards were mostly left with the Chen clan people, and he only brought four guest officials with him. This gave Lu Jin an opportunity. Finally, Lu Jin killed the four Chen clan guest officials, cut off Chen Luyi's head, and escaped all the way back to Shengjing in the Jing Dynasty."

The Yuan shopkeeper asked, "Sir, don't you find it strange? If no one assisted him, how did he know Chen Luyi's whereabouts? Lu Jin lurked in the Ning Dynasty for years, finally waiting for this opportunity. What was he doing during these years?"

Jin Zhu was doubtful, "That only proves that Lu Jin had helpers. How do you so confidently say he has a younger sister? And that his younger sister is in the Ning Dynasty?"

The Yuan shopkeeper said, "Lu Jin always had a younger sister, but he consistently told others that his younger sister died young from smallpox. However, just seven years ago, Lu Jin executed a young noble according to military law. After the other party's father learned of this matter, to vent his private grudge, he went to dig up the Lu family ancestral grave. Inside the ancestral grave, where Lu Jin's younger sister should have been buried, the grave was empty. After the incident, Lu Jin, with thunderous means, ordered the military intelligence department assassins to exterminate the entire family of this noble."

The Yuan shopkeeper sneered, "Outsiders only think he was angry because his ancestral grave was dug up. But how could a person like Lu Jin be angry about such a thing? I think he only wanted to cover up the empty grave. Sir, if you re-investigate based on the clues from that year, you might be able to find his younger sister!"

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