Green Mountain
Chapter 57 - 54, Hai Dongqing

Chapter 57: 54, Hai Dongqing

"Half the credit goes to you and half to me, how does that sound?"

The once bustling gambling house was now eerily quiet.

In the flamboyantly decorated private room, the plump Jin Zhu sat by the round table.

Atop the table, a hanging corpse swayed from the ceiling beam, yet Jin Zhu, smiling contentedly, seemed as carefree as if he were sitting beside a girl selling smiles in Hongyi Lane.

Facing him across the table, Chen Ji curiously asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, if we catch a Jing Dynasty spy tonight, the merit won’t be minor. Are you really willing to let me have it?"

Jin Zhu poured Chen Ji a cup of hot tea and said methodically, "Over the years, thanks to the trust of the Lord Prime Minister, I’ve been managing the finances of the Spy Department. At first, I didn’t quite understand—grocery stores, brothels, gambling houses, clothing stores—I fell into many traps and lost a lot of money. But the Prime Minister didn’t say a word, only told me not to fear making mistakes."

Chen Ji suddenly realized that this Jin Zhu was probably also an orphan adopted by the Prime Minister.

At a young age, holding the financial power of the Spy Department and even losing money being tolerated by the Prime Minister, the two must share a profoundly deep relationship. In almost every sentence he spoke, Jin Zhu revealed his admiration for the Prime Minister.

To the outside world, he was the Poison Minister, but to Jin Zhu, he was a father figure.

Jin Zhu continued, "Later on, I indeed found I had a talent for business and gradually learned the tricks of the trade. I discovered that third-rate investment is investing in labor, similar to running small businesses like noodle shops; second-rate investment is investing in technology, doing what others can’t, like frosting; and first-rate investment is making money from money, immensely profitable, like banks. But none of these investments are the cleverest..."

Pondering, Chen Ji asked, "Then what is the cleverest investment?"

Jin Zhu laughed, "Of course, it’s investing in ’people’."

He added thoughtfully, "Over the years, the most correct investment I made was aiding Heavenly Horse. Back then, I wasn’t yet Jin Zhu, and he was just a little spy. Whenever it was time to catch spies, he was always at the forefront. After finishing the job, no matter how tired, a bowl of beef noodles would suffice for him to wipe his mouth and blissfully go to sleep. Watching him eat those noodles, it seemed like they were the tastiest thing in the world."

"Later, when I became Jin Zhu and he was still just a little Pigeon-level Spy, I gave him all my credit, helped him access the Cultivation Path, and he became the now known Heavenly Horse. Over the years, numerous below Lower Nine have come and gone like falling petals and flowing water, but only me and Xuan Snake have remained steady, Xuan Snake because of Bai Long’s care, and I, because of Heavenly Horse."

For a moment, Chen Ji felt a hint of human warmth in the cold and ruthless Spy Department.

He imagined what the scene might be like in the noodle shop after a spy-catching mission, with Jin Zhu and a young Heavenly Horse eating beef noodles together, peeling garlic and chatting, saying something like ’that was a close call’.

It all felt a bit surreal.

No wonder, despite being just a Lower Nine in the zodiac ranking, he seemed much tougher than Yun Yang and Jiao Tu.

"May I ask, Lord Jin Zhu, what rank must one reach to gain access to the Cultivation Path?" Chen Ji asked softly.

Jin Zhu drained his cup of tea, "Hai Dongqing, it’s a threshold. Once you become Hai Dongqing, you’ll no longer be considered a little spy; even those civil servants won’t dare look down on you. At the same time, you will also have the chance to glimpse the Path of Immortality."

"So, if I get promoted, what would you need me to do?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Jin Zhu grinned, "Currently, the ’Hai Dongqing’ position in Luocheng City hangs undetermined, whether the Lord Prime Minister intentionally keeps it vacant or truly lacks a suitable candidate, someone eventually needs to fill it. Many of my enterprises are in Luocheng, naturally I’d need someone to keep an eye on them. You wouldn’t need to do anything specific, just keep troublemakers at bay."

"What properties do you own, my lord?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Lord Jin Zhu laughed heartily, "I just added a new one. It’s a good opportunity for you to get acquainted... Bring the man in!"

...

Two spies dragged a short, thin merchant inside, making him kneel on the ground.

With tears and snot running down his face, the merchant pleaded, "My lord, I am Boss Chao. I have always run my business honestly. This gambling house has absolutely no connection with the Jing Dynasty spies!"

Lord Jin Zhu squatted in front of him and said calmly, "You say there’s no connection? If there’s no connection, then why did Jing Dynasty spies pass through your establishment? And why was there a skirmish in your establishment? Just sign the deed honestly, and you can avoid physical pain. Otherwise, your entire family could be executed or exiled to Lingnan... Give him the paper and pen."

The spy threw a written contract onto the ground and said coldly, "Boss Chao, sign and imprint your fingerprint."

Chen Ji: "..."

So all the properties under Lord Jin Zhu’s name were acquired this way?!

This isn’t just highly profitable, it’s profitable without any capital!

The trembling owner of the gambling house, ultimately, imprinted his fingerprint, and was dragged away like a mess of mud.

Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Lord Jin Zhu, this businessman, he probably isn’t a Jing Dynasty spy... Doesn’t the Criminal Justice Department care?"

Lord Jin Zhu glanced at him and said earnestly, "Of course he isn’t, but I manage the finances of the Spy Department, and there are so many people to support. We naturally need to find ways to cut costs and relieve concerns for the Lord Prime Minister. Hehe, the head of the Criminal Justice Department, Lin Chaoqing, is not in Luocheng City today. This is a rare opportunity."

"What if we are discovered?" Chen Ji asked curiously.

Lord Jin Zhu stood up and patted him on the shoulder, "The gambling house has caused substantial harm. Boss Chao has committed many sins. He will take his own life out of fear of his crimes tonight. Don’t worry, no one will find out."

As he said this, he looked at Chen Ji with a smile, "I’m confiding in you because I treat you as a close confidant. You wouldn’t report me, would you? Rest assured, following me is much better than following Jiao Tu and Yun Yang. In the future, the court will grant you an annual salary of twenty-four taels of silver. I will give you another twenty-four taels, adding up to forty-eight taels."

Chen Ji thought to himself that forty-eight taels weren’t enough for his cultivation expenses, "Does only a few receive this, or does everyone?"

Lord Jin Zhu responded, "Everyone gets it. The brothers risk their lives with their heads tied to their waistbands. What can twenty-four taels of silver a year do? The civil servants limit our salaries, but the Lord Prime Minister has his ways. Many underestimate my position, saying I reek of coppers, but what do they know? I manage all the internal allowances and subsidies of the Spy Department. We live a tight life; how can we not be meticulous in our calculations?"

He looked at Chen Ji’s expression and slowly added, "Once you become Hai Dongqing and have found your Cultivation Path, you will also receive additional resources for cultivation each month."

Chen Ji inquired, "What and how much can an ordinary Hai Dongqing receive?"

After thinking, Lord Jin Zhu replied, "For an ordinary martial artist’s cultivation path, without any achievements for the month, about six pieces of old ginseng. With achievements, the more you accomplish, the more you receive."

Chen Ji’s mind stirred; this was indeed the most important part. Considering over two hundred cities in the twelve provinces of the Ning Dynasty, equating to over two hundred Hai Dongqing, the distribution of cultivation resources each month was astronomical!

Only within this one month, the six ginseng roots sent amounted to about one hundred ninety taels, which is more money than many people earn in ten years!

Lord Jin Zhu stared intently at Chen Ji, and seriously said, "But you must remember, this is given to you by the Prime Minister, not by the court."

Chen Ji understood that Jin Zhu was not in charge of departments like Maritime Trade, Silver Treasury, or Weaving Bureau, where the revenue generated was to be used by the Emperor in the Inner Court. Instead, Jin Zhu managed the Prime Minister’s own private treasury.

He stood up and bowed with his fists clasped, "Lord Jin Zhu, your subordinate will brave fire and water for the Lord Prime Minister, without any reservation!"

Jin Zhu smiled and stood up, grabbing his hand, "Tonight, luring and killing a Jing Dynasty spy is one merit, if you can capture the deserter spy, that’s another great achievement. I know you are smarter than most; this matter still depends on you."

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, "Lord Jin Zhu, do you have any leads?"

This indeed was the matter Chen Ji was most concerned about.

This Jing Dynasty spy had seen his face; he had to find this person before the Spy Department did.

He wouldn’t feel at ease until he found him.

Speaking of the deserter spy’s clues, Jin Zhu also started cursing, "That spy was severely injured, it would have been easy to catch him, but a rainstorm washed away his trail. Now, trying to find him in Luocheng City is like searching for a needle in the ocean."

At this moment, a cat’s meow echoed from outside the window, unnoticed by anyone, taken as just a stray cat sheltering from the rain under the eaves.

Chen Ji clasped his hands and said, "Then Lord Jin Zhu continue to wait here for the Jing Dynasty spy; I will go down and look for clues regarding the deserter spy."

After speaking, he left the private room and lowered his hat.

In the private room, a spy said, "Sir, he already knows about our baiting plan, should we be cautious that he might send signals to the enemy?"

Jin Zhu nodded, "Keep an eye on him; don’t let him have the chance to leave ’Chao Cang.’ Though Meng Ji tested him and confirmed he isn’t a Jing Dynasty spy, caution remains the best strategy."

...

...

Chen Ji walked downstairs from the second floor; each spy stationed along the corridors was gripping a waist knife, almost everyone was armed with a hand crossbow.

Under such a deployment, if those from Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department wanted to come and kill, they would have to pay a heavy price.

But what did all this have to do with Chen Ji? He only cared about whether he would be exposed.

However, just as he was halfway down the stairs, he inadvertently looked down and spotted a familiar figure: it was his biological brother, Chen Wenxiao!

Strange, why would Chen Wenxiao appear in a gambling house at midnight? Could he also be related to the Jing Dynasty spy?

No, the other’s complexion was sallow, eyes darkened, lacking the graceful demeanor of a noble gentleman in daylight, manifestly a true gambler!

Chen Ji suddenly recalled the rumors of his own gambling addiction, always feeling there was more to the story.

As he pondered, Chen Wenxiao stealthily looked around. Chen Ji pressed down his hat and walked away.

In the gambling house, copper coins and silver were scattered across the floor, a trail of blood led from the doorway to the backyard - presumably the escape route of the deserter spy.

Following the blood trail toward the backyard, upstairs, the spy next to Jin Zhu leaned on the wooden railing, closely watching Chen Ji’s movements.

When he saw Chen Ji about to leave the gambling house, his gaze tightened, signaling to two spies downstairs to follow him.

However, Chen Ji stopped before leaving the gambling house and turned into another corner, soothing the spies.

Upon reaching a corner, while pretending to look for clues, Chen Ji whispered, "Wu Yun, Wu Yun?"

From the shadows of the corner, Wu Yun, drenched, meowed, "I’m here!"

Chen Ji’s expression was hidden under his hat as he whispered, "How did you find this place?"

"I wanted to go to the Medical Hall to tell you Princess Consort Jing plans to use Chunhua to seduce you, but I discovered you weren’t there," Wu Yun replied, "I asked many cats along the way to find this place."

Chen Ji asked in astonishment, "Wait, you asked many cats?"

"Yes," Wu Yun seemed puzzled by Chen Ji’s astonishment, "You humans ask humans for directions, what’s so strange about cats asking cats?"

"They can answer questions... I mean, can those without spiritual intelligence answer you?"

"Fat orange and dairy cats definitely can’t; they aren’t very smart, asking them is pointless. But Li Hua cats can, they’re smarter, strong fighters, and control larger territories. But Li Hua cats are a bit difficult to deal with; they have bad temperaments," Wu Yun replied.

Chen Ji’s mind was in turmoil; this was a scenario he had never imagined. Stray cats were everywhere in Luocheng City.

He quickly asked, "Then can you get them to help me find someone? The person was severely injured and vanished after escaping from Chao Cang Gambling House at night!"

"Where did he escape to?"

"I don’t know."

"That’s going to be difficult to find..." Wu Yun paused for a moment, "Only a Sanhua can do that, they have good relations with Cats, let them go to different territories to ask Li Hua cats."

"This matter is about my life and property; I must find this person before the Spy Department does!"

Wu Yun puffed up his chest, tapping it to make a thumping sound, "Leave it to me, rest assured!"

...

There will be another Chapter going online early tomorrow morning, followed by a brief release note, which you are welcome to read or skip.