Aoyama

Chapter 192 City Palace
Yamen, candlelight, chess game.

Chen Ji placed the black piece and made a brilliant move.

Bai Long looked at this brilliant move and fell into deep thought.

This was the first time that he thought for more than ten breaths. After this move, he felt that although Chen Ji gave up a corner, he revitalized the overall situation.

Bai Long smiled and said, "It seems that I can't play fast chess with you. Enlightenment in life sometimes takes a moment, and sometimes it takes a lifetime. How many people are confused and still don't understand what they want to do in their lives until they are eighty years old? Congratulations, it seems that you have figured it out."

Chen Ji remained calm: "Master Bailong, you are too kind. I haven't figured it out yet. My Lord, you have the right path to become a Jinshi, so why do you want to join the Secret Service?"

Bai Long looked up at him and said, "How dare you come to ask about my background? How disrespectful! If you do it again, be careful or I will hang you from the beam and beat you."

Chen Ji didn't take this to heart. Now he realized that the white dragon was moody, but as long as you were still useful to him, you would be fine.

He thought for a moment and asked, "Just now the master said he had something to tell me. I wonder what it is. Do you want to catch Han Tong?"

"There is no rush to capture Han Tong. Now that he has slipped into the river, it's hard to find him. We have to wait and see." Bai Long looked at the chessboard and asked slowly, "How much do you know about Chen Luchi, the head of the Chen family?"

Chen Ji's heart trembled. The next target of the Secret Service is the Chen family?

Bai Long glanced at him and said, "Why, the Chen family doesn't even know their own family affairs?"

Chen Ji said softly: "The head of the family is suspicious, moody, stubborn, and has the final say in the Chen family. Chen furniture is his one-man show."

Bai Long was amused: "Where is Chen Lizun, the eldest son of the first wife?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "He is weak and incompetent. He was able to become the head of the Ministry of Revenue only because of the protection of the Chen family. He does not have a high status in the family. The eldest branch of the family is ruled by his first wife, Wang."

"Chen Lizhi, the second son of the second wife?"

"On the surface, he appears to be kind and gentle, but in reality, he is sinister and cunning. He manages the Chen family's property, land, and family business. He also runs a brothel and a casino behind the scenes, doing a profiteering business."

The so-called lamb interest is usury. If you lend out ten taels of silver, you have to pay back twenty taels next year, otherwise your family will be broken up and your wife and children will be separated.

This kind of business cannot be done openly and can only be done behind the scenes by white gloves.

Thanks to Bai Long's questioning, Chen Ji escaped unharmed.

In order to conceal his identity as a foreigner, he had carefully read the case files related to the Chen family in the inner prison, and they came in handy now.

However, Bai Long changed the subject and asked, "Where is Chen Yu?"

Chen Ji hesitated...Chen Yu?
He had never heard of this person's name, and there was no record of him even in the Secret Service's file library. Why would Bai Long suddenly ask about this person?

How should I answer this? Should I know him, or should I not know him?

According to the Chen family's custom, legitimate sons of the same generation have three-character names, such as Chen Liqin's "Li" which is his generation. Illegitimate sons do not have this generation character, so they have two-character names.

Chen Yu must also be a bastard of the Chen family, but no one knows which branch he belongs to.

If Chen Ji and Chen Yu were familiar with each other, they must have exchanged letters with each other, but after such a long time, I have never seen each other's letters.

Chen Ji thought for a moment and said, "Master Bailong, I am not familiar with this person."

"Not familiar?" Bai Long looked at Chen Ji: "Really? I thought you two entered the Chen Family Academy in the same year, so you should have known each other."

Chen Ji said calmly: "Sir, who dares to say that they really know anyone these days?"

"That's right," Bai Long stood up and paced in the government office. "I don't need to ask any more about your father's lineage in the third house. The first thing I want you to do is to return to the Chen family."

Chen Ji was stunned. Going back to the Chen family?

Bai Long smiled and said, "I know you have said many times that you want to sever ties with the Chen family. But, is there any blood relationship that can be severed in this world? I'm sure Master Chen will be very happy if you return to the Chen family."

Chen Ji stood up and said, "Master Bailong has given an order, and I will obey it without any hesitation."

Bai Long laughed: "The relationship between father and son has always been complicated. They are like monarch and subject, like friends, and like enemies. Only when your father lies on his sickbed for the last moment, are they father and son. I will not ask too much about the things between you and your son. It is time to let go of some of the grudges in the past and put the overall situation first."

Chen Ji lowered his head: "I understand."

With his head lowered, his eyes flickered.

Bai Long was absolutely right. The ordinary father-son relationship was indeed difficult to break and sort out, but he happened to come from the forty-ninth heaven and had nothing to do with Chen Liqin.

But Bai Long didn't know this. The reason why Bai Long didn't kill him was not only because of Binghu's face, but also because the other party wanted to take advantage of his Chen family identity early on.

When ordinary people play chess, they are considered experts if they can look three steps ahead before taking one step. But Bailong is different. He can look ten or even a hundred steps ahead before taking one step.

At this time, Bai Long smiled and said, "But you also need to understand that when we were in Prince Jing's mansion, Lord Chen did not protect you, but only Chen Wenxiao. In the future, you should take family affection lightly. You only need to serve His Majesty and the Prime Minister, and don't worry about anything else."

Chen Ji said humbly, "As you command. But, Lord Bailong, why do you want me to go back to the Chen family?"

Bai Long stood beside the table, tapping it with his fingers. "After the Lantern Festival, Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao will go to Beijing to take the imperial examinations, and Chen Liqin's transfer order is also on the way. Chen Luchi wants to transfer him back to Beijing to be the Junior Zhanshi of Zhanshi Mansion, to work in the East Palace, and to assist the Crown Prince. If you return to the Chen family, you can naturally follow them back to the capital."

The Zhanshi Mansion is an institution responsible for serving the prince. The young Zhanshi is of the fourth rank. After Chen Liqin's experience in Luocheng, his rank was not demoted but promoted instead, and he rose rapidly to the top.

Bai Long looked at the night sky outside the government office and said, "Chen Ji, the capital is a truly dangerous place. Be cautious and careful in everything you do. Only by staying alive and protecting yourself can you do more."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "But sir, I am only the third son of the family. Even if I return to the Chen family and the capital, I am afraid that I will not be welcomed and will not be able to find out the core secrets of the Chen family."

Bai Long was happy: "I don't expect you to find out anything in the short term. Just stay inside first. I will naturally assign you a task when you arrive in the capital."

Chen Ji asked calmly, "Sir, the Chen family is a noble family and they don't want to associate with us."

Bai Long smiled and said, "Not many people know your identity as Hai Dong Qing. Some are dead, some are arrested, and some are gone. I think Lord Chen is still in the dark. Don't worry, I will pass on the matter and help you cover up a little."

At this time, footsteps were heard outside the door, and secret spies escorted the remnants of the Liu family into the yamen, a total of 47 people.

Chen Ji asked, "Sir, are all the remnants of the Liu family going to be killed?"

Bai Long didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "There are hundreds of thousands of people in the Liu family's side branches. If I kill them all, I will have nightmares in the middle of the night. Catch those who are out of the fifth degree of mourning and interrogate them. If there is no problem, release them."

"Ah."

Bai Long waved his hand at Chen Ji and said, "Go back and rest. The past is forgotten. Follow me and do my work well from now on. I will take care of the princess' affairs for you and will not let her suffer."

Chen Ji hesitated for a moment: "Sir, can I go visit the princess?"

Bai Long laughed and scolded, "Don't push your luck in front of me. I'm not killing you because I value your talent. You're still very useful to me. Get lost."

Chen Ji bowed and said goodbye: "Yes."

Before leaving, Bai Long called him, "Chen Ji."

Chen Ji turned around and asked: "What do you want, sir?"

Bai Long said calmly: "If you want to succeed, you must be cunning and don't let others see through you easily. Those who can't give up anything can't change anything."

Chen Ji was stunned, and after a moment he replied, "I'll remember it."

"Go."

When leaving the yamen, Chen Ji suddenly stopped where he was, because among the captured remnants of the Liu family, there was a familiar figure... Liu Quxing.

The snow in the courtyard was a mess. Liu Quxing and his family had their hands tied and were detained among the crowd.

Liu Quxing hid timidly behind his mother. He looked up inadvertently and saw Chen Ji coming out of the yamen. His eyes immediately turned red and he staggered towards him.

But Liu Quxing came up to him, spit on Chen Ji's face, lowered his voice, and roared from the bottom of his throat: "Are you also involved in the frame-up of Prince Jing's Mansion? Beast! Princess Wang and the prince treated you like that, you are worse than a beast!"

Liu Quxing started to cry as he cursed: "What's wrong with this world? What's wrong with you all?"

Chen Ji stood there, standing in the heavy snow. He didn't say anything, nor did he raise his hand to wipe the saliva off his face.

The secret agent in charge of detaining the remnants of the Liu family was shocked when he saw Liu Quxing spitting on Chen Ji's face. He ran over and grabbed Liu Quxing: "Sir, I deserve to die!"

Chen Ji wiped his saliva with his sleeve and said, "I know this man well. His family has never participated in the Liu family's rebellion. Let him go."

The spy was surprised: "Sir?"

Chen Ji looked at it calmly: "My words are not working well?"

The spy bowed his head: "Yes."

Chen Ji didn't look at Liu Quxing again, and walked into the heavy snow with big strides. Later, he no longer liked the heavy snow, and he didn't look forward to the nights and days.

(End of this chapter)