Aoyama

Chapter 336 New Mission
At the hour of Mao, it was not yet fully light.

At the intersection of the two alleys, Chen Ji leaned against the north corner and Sicaogui leaned against the west corner. The two seemed to be talking with their backs to each other and neither could see the other.

It sounds a bit awkward to say this, but if someone comes in from outside the alley, no matter which alley they pass through, they will only see one person and not the other.

Chen Ji leaned against the blue brick wall and asked after a long hesitation: "Did you encounter any danger on the way to escape? Is Wu Hongbiao okay? Is he back?"

Si Caogui smiled and explained, "At that time, Biaozi and I fled southward. We were checked by the Secret Service seven times along the way. We disguised ourselves as merchants, lay in coffins, and hid in a tilted car. If we hadn't been alert, I'm afraid we would have died on the road."

He continued, "But after we left Yuzhou, the Secret Service became lax. We boarded a Cao Gang ship and headed south to Yangzhou, then headed to Qidong Port without stopping, and boarded a smuggling merchant ship to Lushun. When we were escaping, I thought every day that it would be better to die in Luocheng, but when we arrived in Lushun, I felt that this trip was worth it. You don't have to worry about Biaozi, he's fine."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "Did he save his sister?"

Si Caogui asked with great interest, "Why, are you still thinking about his sister? Don't think about it. I met his sister this time and she looks exactly like Biaozi, so ugly."

Chen Ji laughed: "I'm not thinking about it, I'm just asking."

The two chatted about family matters like old friends who had not seen each other for a long time, as if they had both forgotten the days of living on the edge of a knife and were no longer living in dire straits.

After they finished laughing at each other, Chen Ji gradually put away his smile and asked tentatively: "You finally left, why are you back?"

At this time, someone passed by the alley. Si Caogui pressed down his hat and remained silent.

After the pedestrians left, he explained in a low voice: "Your uncle has been reinstated. This time, he not only took advantage of the failure of intelligence in Luocheng and the failure of the Guyuan war to imprison his political enemies, Jiang Tan of the Military Strategy Department and Lu Guanwu of the Military Intelligence Department, but also got the position of Deputy Privy Councilor. Now that the Military Strategy Department is under his jurisdiction, I naturally have to come back and continue to serve the court."

Chen Ji looked up at the gray sky. Although he had learned that Lu Jin had signs of reinstatement when he was in Guyuan, he still felt mixed emotions when he finally heard the news.

Si Caogui asked from across the corner, "Why aren't you talking?"

Chen Ji smiled and said, "I'm happy for my uncle... Then can I go back to Jing Dynasty?"

Si Caogui said subconsciously: "No."

Chen Ji frowned: "Why?"

Si Caogui consoled him, "Privy Councilor Yuan Cheng relies on the favor of His Majesty, and your uncle cannot touch him for a while. Now there are many frictions between your uncle and him. In the half month before I came to Ning Dynasty, your uncle experienced twelve assassination attempts. It is not safe for you to go back now, so he hopes that you will continue to stay in Ning Dynasty."

Si Caogui continued, "Moreover, the Military Intelligence Department was previously at a standstill due to the struggle between the two parties, and many things that needed to be done were neglected. Now you and I need to help your uncle clean up the situation. Only if the Military Intelligence Department plays a role can we prove to His Majesty that reinstating your uncle is the right decision, leaving Yuancheng speechless."

Chen Ji cautiously probed, "Okay... Since my uncle has taken control of the Military Intelligence Department, then you will be the head of the Military Intelligence Department when you come back this time, right?"

Si Caogui said calmly: "No, the position of Sizhu has not changed. Si Cao is still Si Cao, and Sizhu is still Sizhu."

Chen Ji thought to himself, Lu Guanwu has been imprisoned, why did his uncle Lu Jin still keep this Sizhu? Can't he get rid of him?

At this time, Si Caogui suddenly asked: "I heard that you have been to the palace to see the emperor twice?"

Chen Ji's heart trembled, and the joy of meeting his old friend disappeared in an instant.

What Si Caogui said was definitely not information that ordinary people could know.

There are only two possibilities. One is that the other party has been lurking beside a certain official and heard the news from him. The other is that someone from the Jing Dynasty’s Military Intelligence Department is hiding in the Ning Dynasty’s central government.

Which one is it? The second one.

Si Caogui had previously fled back to Jing Dynasty with Wu Hongbiao. Even if he returned to Ning Dynasty without stopping, he would have arrived in the capital at most half a month earlier than Chen Ji. In just half a month, it was impossible for him to get close to a certain official and gain his trust.

Chen Ji explained: "It was a coincidence that I entered the palace to see the emperor. I just happened to be someone else's knife."

Si Caogui asked again: "You had established contact with Yunyang and Jiaotu before, why didn't you join the Secret Service?"

Chen Ji pondered, "Yun Yang and Jiao Tu took advantage of my efforts. In order to prevent the truth from being exposed, they tried their best to prevent me from entering the Secret Service."

Si Caogui was silent for a long time, his fingers stroking the handle of the short knife in his sleeve, and asked in a serious tone: "Why did you kill so many Tiance soldiers in Guyuan?"

Chen Ji's heart sank. The murderous aura of the opponent was as condensed as substance, which could make one's hair stand on end even through a corner.

finally come.

This is the question that Si Caogui wants to ask the most. The Military Intelligence Department no longer trusts him.

Moreover, Chen Ji was now even more certain that the person from the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department who was lurking in the Ning Dynasty's core must be able to see the Guyuan memorial and the victory report... and his status was not low.

How to answer? If you are not careful, you will get yourself killed.

If he answered wrongly, not only would he not be able to save the princess, he would also be beheaded.

Kill Si Caogui? Si Caogui is the only one in Ning Dynasty who knows his identity. If he is killed, he can delay the war for a while.

But this Si Caogui was a great official in the realm of Xundao. More than a hundred secret agents were unable to do anything to him, so how could he kill him? He could only bite the bullet and deceive.

"I didn't kill the Tiance Army," Chen Ji answered slowly. "At that time, Yunyang and Jiaotu tried to destroy my bridges, but I was lucky enough to save my life and went to Guyuan with the Chen family. Later, when I was in Guyuan, I took the opportunity to meet the prince. This was a rare opportunity to get close to the core of the Ning Dynasty, so I secretly investigated the Guyuan border army's murder of innocent people for him."

Chen Ji explained in a deep voice: "When the Longmen Inn was attacked, the high-ranking official hidden beside the prince killed the enemy. But the prince did not want to expose this official, so he attributed all the credit to me. At the same time, the prince also wanted to take this opportunity to win over Chen Liqin, the third branch of the Chen family, and simply helped me get an official position as the Right Guard of the Eastern Palace to win people's hearts. But the Guyuan Border Army did not give the prince face, so Hu Junxian did not mention me in the victory report. Because among all the victory reports and memorials, only the prince's memorial mentioned my military exploits, so the Emperor of Ning Dynasty did not believe it and only gave me an eighth-rank Yulin Army flag officer... If I really killed so many Tiance Army, I should be at least a sixth-rank official."

These words were both true and false. Hu Junxian's victory report and his identity as a small flag officer became evidence of the past.

Chen Ji was only thankful that in the victory reports and memorials from the Guyuan border army, only the prince mentioned this matter, otherwise there would not be even a glimmer of room.

However, Chen Ji's words still have many hidden dangers: Chen Liqin, Chen Wenzong, Liang, Zhang Xia, Zhang Zheng, Xiaoman, the prince, and Qi Zhuozhuo are all witnesses. As long as one of them tells the truth, Si Caogui will know that he is lying.

Chen Ji didn't care about so many things. He could only bet that Si Caogui would not be able to find these people to verify for the time being. Even if he did, he could use the excuse that "the prince ordered them to keep their mouths shut."

Just delay it a little longer, just delay it a little longer.

On the other side of the corner, Si Caogui said in a deep voice: "Are you telling the truth?"

Chen Ji took a deep breath and said confidently: "Master Si Cao, you also know my strength. Do you think I can kill more than a hundred Tiance soldiers?"

Si Caogui couldn't help but feel puzzled. With more than a hundred Tiance soldiers charging forward, even the officials in the Xundao realm had to retreat.

He didn't know that Chen Ji had the advantage of geographical location and the continuous fire inherited from the tiger to support his physical strength. He even lost a stripe, and with the help of Wuyun and Xiaoman, he barely survived.

There was no mention of Wuyun or Xiaoman in the prince's memorial, it only said that Chen Ji alone killed more than a hundred Tiance soldiers, which was incredible.

In Si Caogui's impression, Chen Ji was not good at fighting.

Si Caogui said slowly: "I believe you...Now there is something I need you to do."

Chen Ji became alert: "What's the matter?"

Si Caogui said, "I have something I need to give to the secretary of Huitong Hall in Mixiang, Dongjiang. Nowadays, there are spies from the Ning Dynasty outside Huitong Hall. Ordinary people will attract their attention if they approach ten feet. With your identity, you may be able to accomplish this."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Si Caogui asked nonchalantly, "Why, you don't want to do it?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "If you have any orders, I will do whatever it takes. What does Sir Cao need me to give to the clerk?"

Si Caogui smiled and said, "I'll put it on the ground. Count to twenty and then come back to get it. Remember, don't look at what's inside and don't try to open it."

Chen Ji counted 20 breaths silently before turning the corner. Si Caogui had gone to an unknown place. He only saw a palm-sized wooden box quietly placed on the ground. The wooden box was sealed with red wax, and he didn't know what was inside.

He stuffed the wooden box into his sleeve, turned around and walked away quickly.

……

……

On the bustling Chang'an Street, Chen Ji avoided the passing carriages and sedan chairs with a solemn expression.

Did Si Caogui believe his own words? Definitely not.

Chen Ji had dealt with Si Caogui before. He was suspicious by nature and would never believe anything without evidence. Even though he was Lu Jin's nephew, the other party had suspected him many times when he was in Luocheng.

What is the first thing a big shot who has returned to the Military Intelligence Department should do when faced with a spy subordinate who has been out of touch for a long time?
Loyalty test.

Now, handing the wooden box in the sleeve to the secretary of Huitong Hall is the Military Intelligence Department's test of Chen Ji's loyalty.

Chen Ji touched the wooden box in his sleeve and stroked the wax seal on it.

Do you want to take the risk and give the wooden box to the secretary of Huitong Hall? Yes.

Should we try to remove the wax seal and see what's inside? No.

Arriving at the gate of the Yulin Army Governor's Mansion, Chen Ji let out a long breath, and when the expression on his face relaxed, he walked into the gate with a smile.

As I stepped through the door, a dull thunder suddenly sounded overhead.

Chen Ji subconsciously looked up, only to see that the sky over the capital was covered with dark clouds and it was about to rain.

This was the first spring rain in the capital in the 32nd year of Jianing.

(End of this chapter)