Green Mountain-Chapter 659 - 516: Finally Waited For

On the upper floor of Meirui Building, everyone watched silently as Chen Ji furrowed his brow, not daring to disturb him.

Chen Ji pondered quietly; this obituary didn't use the Military Intelligence Department's usual Reverse Cut Technique, only homophones, and not every word was at the beginning of the sentence, without any pattern.

The phrase "Seek Si Caogui" could be considered a coincidence or an arbitrary association.

But Chen Ji never believed in coincidences; Si Caogui had just disappeared, and someone was using a secret message seeking Si Caogui—this couldn't be a coincidence.

These four words also indicate that not only he couldn't find Si Caogui, but even the Military Intelligence Department had lost the person's whereabouts.

Strange, what really happened during Aunt Ping's confrontation with Si Caogui that caused someone who valued the Military Intelligence Department's mission above all else to disappear without a word?

Who issued this obituary?

Judging by the tone of "Seek Si Caogui," it must be in a commanding tone. In the Imperial Capital, the only one who could issue such a command to seek Si Caogui... it could only be Si Caoding.

This was personally issued by Si Caoding. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Chen Ji looked up at Zhang Xia: "Where did you get this?"

Zhang Xia recalled: "The ruffian who collected this obituary usually sells newspapers at Xuanbei Square in the Outer City. He said this obituary was received from a young man who paid five taels of silver, his clothes had no patches, his complexion didn't look like someone who had done hard work, looked like a scholar."

A young man?

Si Caoding had been involved in the conspiracy against Qing Wentao, and must be middle-aged. Who is this young man that Si Caoding trusts so much?

Chen Ji asked again: "If this person is caught, can the ruffian recognize him?"

Zhang Xia shook his head: "I'm afraid not, the ruffian has seen too many people these days, doesn't have that ability."

Chen Ji pondered silently; there is now one piece of good news and one piece of bad news. The bad news is that there's no way to use this obituary to find Si Caoding, and there are too many people selling newspapers, so it's impossible to find Si Caoding's operative.

The good news is...Si Caoding is indeed reading the newspaper, and the Military Intelligence Department has already transferred the message-delivery method to the newspaper.

Just at this moment, he suddenly looked up at Zhang Xia: "How do you... know I'm looking for this?"

Chen Ji can guess the secret message from the obituary because he often deals with the Military Intelligence Department, quickly finding key phrases, but what about Zhang Xia? By rights, Zhang Xia shouldn't even know about the existence of Si Caogui.

Zhang Xia calmly replied: "Because this person placed an obituary without wearing mourning attire, I was suspicious from the beginning. Moreover, although the ruffian said he could run obituaries, this is the first person willing to publish an obituary in the morning newspaper. So, does this obituary really have a problem?"

Chen Ji smiled and said: "Indeed, it has a problem."

Brother Pao asked: "Then should it still be published?"

Chen Ji said: "Publish it, let's not alert the snake."

Brother Pao stared at the obituary for quite a while without seeing the problem: "Does the ruffian need to pay attention to the people buying newspapers?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "No need, say nothing to the outside world, everything as usual."

He then lowered his head to scrutinize the obituary again, the issuer was Li Mingwen, the eldest son of the Li Family on Haibo Temple Street, yet unclear whether there was really a funeral in his family.

Before he could inquire, Zhang Xia already spoke: "I've already had the Zhang Family's death soldier check from a distance, the Li Family is indeed having a funeral, his father has truly passed away."

Brother Pao sighed: "Second Miss Zhang always helps the Landlord think ahead, very considerate."

Chen Ji and Zhang Xia simultaneously looked speechlessly at Brother Pao.

Brother Pao instinctively scratched his scalp with his pinky finger: "What, did I say it too plainly?"

Chen Ji turned and left: "Keep all submitted articles intact, I will come to check them daily."

Brother Pao curiously asked: "Where is the Landlord going?"

Chen Ji went down the stairs, not looking back: "The Glass Factory."

...

...

Chen Ji now couldn't do anything, but patiently wait.

The Military Intelligence Department willingly uses newspapers to deliver information, the opponent is exposed, he is hidden.

Once the Military Intelligence Department takes action, it will likely deliver orders via the newspaper again, whether it's stealing firearms or passing court intelligence, as long as it appears in the newspaper there will be flaws.

By then, Chen Ji can follow the clues to catch people.

Until then, he can only wait.

Chen Ji's life became monotonous again; he has no official duties, no need to attend morning court, daily fetching water, reading books, going back and forth between Fu You Street Chen Family and the Glass Factory, seemingly forgetting all other matters.

And Emperor Ning seems to have forgotten him too, not giving him new tasks for a long time. Official Chen didn't seek him either, waiting for the clan elders to host the matter of listing him in the family tree.

Early in the morning, Chen Ji fetched water and poured it into the water tank, intending to go to the Glass Factory. These days, he searched three bookstores but couldn't find traces of the Military Intelligence Department passing intelligence.

Even the secret messages in the newspaper had stopped, leaving Chen Ji somewhat puzzled, could it be that Si Caoding believed the Capital Morning News was insecure, thus changed to another delivery method?

As he left, he saw Chen Xu in a black Daoist robe standing at the door.

Chen Ji asked in confusion: "Housekeeper, are you seeking me for something?"

Chen Xu smiled and said: "I recently heard that the young master stays at the bookshops of various houses in the Glass Factory daily, studying extensively. Is it with the intention of participating in the Imperial Examination three years later? If so, I can invite a venerable master from Donglin Academy to teach the young master."

Chen Ji was startled; his frequent visits to the Glass Factory seemed to have led Chen Xu to believe he had aspirations for the Imperial Examination.

Before he could respond, Chen Xu continued: "Young master, I studied under Mr Gong Yang at the age of twelve, reached the Innate Realm at eighteen, and entered the Seeking Dao Realm at thirty-four, thinking with this Executive Officer realm, the world was at my grasp. But later I arrived in the Imperial Capital to discover the greatest weight in the world isn't the mountains; it's the rules piled by people's hearts. As long as you can't reach the Divine Realm, you have to live within these rules."

"Young master, a lifetime of cultivation is not as good as holding half a volume of Ministry of Revenue regulations; martial arts is not as good as reading. Nowadays, my Chen family has no successors, the master is exhausted every day, yet the Chen family no longer has anyone who can enter the Cabinet."

Chen Ji asked curiously: "Does the Chen family have to produce a cabinet minister?"

Chen Xu smiled: "Naturally, only a cabinet minister can remain in Wenhua Palace, otherwise when things happen in the world, you only find out later, and even if someone falsely accuses you, there won't be a chance to defend. The court has always been this way; once you leave, people will figure out ways to take everything from you. Previously, the master kept Chen Lizhi thinking he could enter the Cabinet, at least supporting the Chen family for another ten years, giving descendants a slim chance, now Chen Lizhi has died too."

Chen Ji smiled and said: "There's still my uncle."

Chen Xu shook his head: "The master's heart is kind, entering the Cabinet would be a calamity, better not to enter. If the young master intends for the Imperial Examination, the master could even seek medicine from Dao Court, to hold you in the Cabinet for another ten years of light."

Chen Ji declined: "The housekeeper's kindness is appreciated, but I read only for leisure, I'm probably not cut out for the Imperial Examination."

He expected Chen Xu to try persuading further, but Chen Xu only pondered briefly: "No matter, then more thought needs to be spent, just requires killing many people."

Chen Ji was stunned: "What needs to be done?"

Chen Xu said seriously: "Kill more enemies, fetch the young master a Duke title."

Chen Ji laughed heartily: "This might be a bit difficult."

Not wanting to linger on the topic, he turned and walked out of the Chen Mansion: "I am going to the Glass Factory, housekeeper do as you wish."

Chen Ji left alone, in the distance he saw several sedan chairs stopping before a ruffian, the chair bearers counted Copper Coin and handed them to the ruffian. Initially, a newspaper cost five cents, now as the pages increased, the price of silver coin went up a bit too.

After the sedan chairs left, Chen Ji also approached the ruffian and handed over twenty coins: "A newspaper, please."

"Alright," the ruffian took out a newspaper from his bag, Chen Ji immediately looked at the advertisement on the last page, still finding nothing.

He read as he walked, starting from the beginning, the front page still praising Emperor Ning for safety, the second page wrote about official appointments, the first item that caught his attention was Thirteen Qing Officials Division's doctor Chen Yu transferring to Jinling as Minister of Communication, Standard Fourth Rank.

Since Chen Ji toppled the second house, Official Chen had distanced himself from Chen Yu, moving him out of the Imperial Capital.

It's a pity, Chen Ji thought he was quite interesting.

As Chen Ji reached the seventh page, his pupils slightly narrowed, this page was open for submitted articles, and in this article, finally appeared the Military Intelligence Department's secret messages.

Finally, he had found it.