Chapter 38: The Grand Secretary

Inside Feiyun Yuan, the Cloud Concubine picked up a teacup and slowly stirred the floating tea leaves with the lid. She said calmly and unhurriedly, "How many people were waiting for you today, risking their lives, yet not a single person showed up. If you can't explain today's matter, you won't need to leave the prince's mansion."

Chen Ji quickly thought: Liu Shiyu of the Liu family is close to the Quiet Concubine, why didn't he choose to contact the Quiet Concubine, but instead contacted the Cloud Concubine?

Why wouldn't the Quiet Concubine know his identity as a Jing Dynasty spy?

Wait.

Chen Ji suddenly remembered the lead-barium glass cup that caused the Quiet Concubine's miscarriage. It was as if a clue in the darkness was guiding him to pursue the truth.

"Why aren't you answering?" the Cloud Concubine asked in a low voice. The dignified princess sat on the grand master's chair, the python pattern on her body seemingly staring at Chen Ji, appearing majestic without being angry.

Chen Ji lowered his voice and said, "A major incident occurred in the Liu family. The Secret Spy Office's Jiao Tu and Yun Yang almost uncovered the clues, so for safety, our side temporarily suspended the plan."

Actually, he had gone to Zhou Chengyi's mansion that night to inform him of the delivery date, but was killed by Yun Yang and Jiao Tu.

The dead and resurrected Chen Ji knew nothing about this matter.

The Cloud Concubine said in a calm tone, "The Jing Dynasty's Military Intelligence Office arbitrarily canceled the agreed matters between the two sides. This explanation alone is not enough. Have you thought about how to answer, or will you simply become fertilizer in my back garden?"

Chen Ji suddenly said, "The Secret Spy Office in Luo City is a threat to both of us. Since you, Madam, are willing to show sincerity, our Military Intelligence Office will naturally also demonstrate our strength. Yun Yang and Jiao Tu being in prison today was a scheme by our Military Intelligence Office's Si Cao. I wonder if Madam is satisfied?"

The Cloud Concubine's eyes lit up. "So the person who sent the letter was actually someone from your Military Intelligence Office. What kind of person is that Si Cao? Not only did he plant spies in the Secret Spy Office, but he also has the ability to infiltrate the Liu family quietly!"

Chen Ji was startled in his heart. The events that happened in the morning, the Cloud Concubine already knew the full picture by the afternoon, which showed that the Liu family maintained close contact with her.

He lowered his eyes and said, "Lord Si Cao is naturally an outstanding figure in our Military Intelligence Office. Lord Si sent him here naturally to ensure the smooth cooperation between both sides."

At this time, the Cloud Concubine's demeanor was no longer majestic, but much gentler. "When I saw you earlier, I thought your Military Intelligence Office sent a young boy to contact me and somewhat neglected you. However, in Yexing Yuan, you have already proven that you are not a useless person. Very good. Since the Military Intelligence Office's spies in Luo City are all elites, I am relieved."

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, "Now that Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are in prison, taking advantage of the fact that the Secret Spy Office's new head has not yet arrived in Luo City, we can ensure the absolute safety of our transaction. Madam, please reschedule the date and location of the transaction."

The Cloud Concubine looked at him for a few more moments. "Then tomorrow night, still at the last agreed place."

Chen Ji didn't even know where the last agreed place was, so how could he tell Si Cao? He immediately said, "That's not proper. Our Military Intelligence Office never conducts two transactions in the same place... Please, Cloud Concubine, provide a new address."

"You are all quite cautious," the Cloud Concubine thought for a moment. "This time, let's set it at 'Jin Gong Fang' in Hongyi Xiang, Dongshi. Find the old procuress and say the two characters 'Luo Tian'. She will lead you to the hidden goods location."

At this point, Chen Ji weighed the pros and cons repeatedly and finally asked his confusion: "Madam, there is one thing that our Military Intelligence Office has never understood."

Without grasping the full picture of the situation, he would forever be unable to gain the initiative.

The Cloud Concubine picked up the teacup and gently took a sip. "Please speak."

"We investigated, Liu Shiyu is the Quiet Concubine's most favored nephew, the only son of her own older sister. Earlier, our office doubted why he would act for you to convey messages and wondered why he didn't contact the Quiet Concubine?"

The Cloud Concubine sneered, "Ah, that good younger sister of mine, the Liu family cannot control her. How would they dare entrust such a great cause into her hands? Now the Liu family and I have common interests. You don't need to worry anymore."

Chen Ji stood up. "Then I shall..."

"Wait," the Cloud Concubine said.

Chen Ji asked doubtfully, "Does Madam have any other matters?"

The Cloud Concubine smiled and invited, "Tonight, the heir is holding a literati elegant gathering. Your two senior martial brothers will also participate. How about I send a few invitation cards to the medical hall? You and your master and disciples can go together."

Chen Ji thought for a moment. "No need. My current identity is sensitive, and I don't want to implicate them. I still need to arrange the handover of goods today, so I will take my leave first."

When Chen Ji left Feiyun Yuan, he turned his head to look at the persimmon tree again before turning to leave.

...

...

On the official road in Luo City, a carriage drove from the north.

The carriage was simple, with only two attendants on horseback following it, appearing very low-key.

At this time, on the official road opposite the carriage, over a hundred people and horses came to welcome them.

When they approached, these officials of Yu State successively got out of their sedans and dismounted, hurrying to the front of the carriage to kneel and bow. "Respectfully welcome the Grand Secretary back to Yu State. We humble officials are at fault for not welcoming you from afar. We hope for your forgiveness."

The Liu family had operated this state's land for several hundred years and now controlled over half of Yu State's fields and tenants.

No matter who came to Yu State as an official, they had to rely on the Liu family's face to smoothly collect taxes, levy corvee, and achieve success.

Therefore, except for a very small number of sons from aristocratic families who came for superficial experience, the hundred officials all knelt to welcome him. If you knelt, the official circle of Yu State would tolerate you. If you didn't kneel, you couldn't take a single step.

The Liu Grand Secretary lifted the curtain and glanced indifferently at the officials kneeling on the ground. "My father passed away, and I truly have no heart to chat with everyone. You may all disperse."

With that said, the carriage slowly moved again. A crowd of officials gathered near the carriage, trotting alongside it, and lowly said to the Liu Grand Secretary behind the curtain, "Grand Secretary, the first and second masters are waiting for you at home."

But the Liu Grand Secretary instructed, "I am going to the ancestral tomb. Let Liu Xianming come to see me."

The carriage went all the way to Beimang Mountain. The Liu Grand Secretary stood in front of the shattered tomb, watching dozens of strong men carry new stone materials to build a new tomb.

He didn't know how long he stood in front of the tomb.

Liu Xianming arrived with a hurried expression and knelt down in front of the Liu Grand Secretary. "Father!"

He didn't speak, just let his son kneel.

When Liu Xianming's knees were sore from kneeling and he couldn't help but move his body, the Liu Grand Secretary leisurely asked, "After I die, will my coffin also be opened for an autopsy?"

Liu Xianming quickly lowered his head. "Father, absolutely not!"

The Liu Grand Secretary dismissed everyone down the mountain. He lifted his robe and sat on a stone material, slowly saying, "Liu Xianming, today you killed your grandfather for the great cause in your mouth. How do you know that tomorrow you won't kill me for the great cause as well?"

The mountain was quiet and empty. Liu Xianming prostrated on the ground, silent.

The Liu Grand Secretary angrily scolded, "Speak!"

Liu Xianming quickly explained, "Father, that was not my original intention. Originally, I intended to use grandfather's death to force back the Secret Spy Office. That Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are only good at killing but have no brains. A little scare and they would retreat. Who would have thought they would actually find evidence against Liu Shiyu?"

"Then why did you kill your grandfather?"

"We received intelligence saying that the Secret Spy Office was on their way to open the coffin for an autopsy. If they discovered that there was no one inside the coffin, our Liu family would be guilty of deceiving the monarch! So I sought 'Mandala Flower' to feed grandfather, only needing him to feign death in the coffin for a moment. Who would have thought that grandfather was actually old and couldn't withstand the effects of Mandala and passed away."

The Liu Grand Secretary was furious. "Still not telling the truth? Clearly, your grandfather disagreed with your collusion with the Jing Dynasty, so you took this opportunity and simply went through with it, killing him! Liu Xianming, you are too ruthless. I didn't expect that I would actually raise a man-eating wolf for the Liu family!"

Liu Xianming suddenly raised his head, his eyes full of ferocity. "Father, His Majesty has been scheming to eliminate our Liu family since his ascension. First, he borrowed the hand of the Donglin Party, having imperial censors remonstrate. Now, he is inciting the eunuch faction to frame and slander us. He will not stop until he eliminates us!"

"Father, twenty years ago, the entire court was filled with people from my Liu family. But now, we can't even hold positions in Yu State. You are not unaware that the Chen family sent a Chen Liqin to be the Assistant Magistrate of Luo City, and that old thing Xu Gong sent his son-in-law Zhang Zhuo to be the Prefect of Luo City. These two are colluding, vowing to investigate my Liu family's fields and tenants."

"Father, I am doing everything I can. If we sit and wait for death again, the Liu family's hundreds of years of foundation will be gone, Father!"

The mountain wind blew thin fog. The Liu Grand Secretary sat in this thin fog, feeling somewhat desolate. "None of you are willing to listen to my words. Why do you still call me father?"

"I told your aunt that His Majesty is talented and understood the emperor's mind games since he was a child. He cannot be controlled. But your aunt insisted on not listening. Since His Majesty ascended the throne at the age of eleven, she has been holding court and preventing His Majesty from governing personally. His Majesty endured six years of hardship initially. How could he possibly not hate our Liu family?"

"Precisely because he hates us, we have no way to live. If we truly fight, it's not necessarily a losing battle! This world is not his Zhu family's world alone!" Liu Xianming said harshly.

The Liu Grand Secretary suddenly became dispirited. "Forget it, forget it. I'll just ask you one more question. When you sent your sister that glass cup, did you know it would cause her to lose the child?"

Liu Xianming shook his head and denied, "I didn't know. That cup was exquisitely beautiful. I thought my sister would like it, so I sent it."

"Still lying!" The Liu Grand Secretary kicked him to the ground.

Liu Xianming no longer knelt on the ground but stood up, patted the dust off his body, and straightened his blue official robe. "Father, after she married into the prince's mansion, her heart only had the Jing Prince. Where did my Liu family still exist? All she thought about every day was giving birth to a child for the Jing Prince. I asked her to do things for the Liu family, but she was unwilling. So I cut off this thought of hers!"

"You are too vicious!"

"Father, am I as vicious as the eunuch faction? If I'm not vicious, how can I fight with him?"

"You..." The Liu Grand Secretary had words at his mouth but didn't know how to say them.

He sat on the stone, silent for an unknown period, finally sighing softly. "Today, Yun Yang and Jiao Tu are in prison. Who gave you the tip-off?"

Liu Xianming saw that his father's tone had eased and his face brightened. He knew that the other party held a high position and would naturally not act on emotion.

He respectfully said, "Son does not know. We are currently investigating and have not yet determined the other party's intention."

The Liu Grand Secretary's face was serious. "Whether it's an enemy or a friend, having such a person nearby makes me unable to sleep. Investigate quickly. I will allocate people from Yan Shi for you to command. These few people are difficult to use well. Put away your arrogance."

"Understood."

The Liu Grand Secretary waved his hand. "Go, I am tired."

Liu Xianming turned to go down the mountain, leaving the Liu Grand Secretary alone on the mountain.

Like an old man with a flickering candle in the wind, he slowly stood up, supporting the coffin in front of the tomb. "Father, you haven't walked out of the Liu family courtyard to see this world for a long time either."