Green Mountain-Chapter 660 - 517: The Chess Player

Chen Ji stopped under the gray eaves of Fuyou Street, looking at the article in the newspaper, oblivious to the carriages and sedans passing by him.

The seventh edition was a contemporary policy discussion, with content all published from civilian submissions.

The article by "Long Whale Sanren" on the court situation that Chen Ji was reading contained a hidden message using an acrostic technique: "Observing the temple disputes today, it is no longer a debate of righteousness. Those who gather by night and disperse at dawn have stolen the power of the Privy Council. You have examined party disasters throughout history, yet people are still intoxicated with the vain reputation of the Pure Stream, unaware that the cunning tigers have occupied the Zhou path. Those who rob the principles of ethics are wearing official gowns and wielding orders. Those who maneuver private interests disguise treachery as service to society. The day of urgent beacon transmission may be imminent."

Tonight at midnight, intercept Zhou Chuan.

Chen Ji patiently waited over ten days and finally received news from the Military Intelligence Department. It seemed to be the first time he was so close to Si Caoding.

Yet he had new doubts: Who is Zhou Chuan?

Why does the Military Intelligence Department want to intercept him?

Chen Ji folded the newspaper and hurried towards Meihua Ferry Crossing.

When he arrived outside the back door at Meihua Ferry Crossing, the sky had just brightened.

Drunks were being helped by their servants onto carriages and sedans, and the singing girls were bidding farewell to their lovers at the door, making for a lively scene.

Nowadays, Meihua Ferry Crossing has become the liveliest brothel in the Imperial Capital.

Chen Ji stood at the alley entrance; only after all the carriages and sedans had scattered did he pass through the back door and ascend Meirui Building.

The salt market opens at 9 to 11 AM; the early morning at Meirui Building was empty, with abacuses lying on tables and the accountants had yet to start their work.

Chen Ji climbed the stairs; Brother Pao and Er Dao were not present. Looking around, he saw that the top floor had been converted by Brother Pao into the editorial department of the Capital Morning News, with more than a dozen desks covered with bamboo paper and ink brushes.

The red gate leading to the outer corridor was wide open; the wind blew in, making the bamboo paper weighted by stone move with a rustling noise.

Chen Ji looked up, and through the red gate, he saw Zhang Xia leaning alone against the railing, gazing into the distance, her clothing fluttering in the wind.

When Chen Ji approached, Zhang Xia recognized his footsteps and said without turning her head, "Why didn't you go to the Glass Factory today?"

Chen Ji shook the newspaper, "Found a clue."

Zhang Xia turned around, "What clue?"

Chen Ji handed her the newspaper, "Today's seventh edition's court situation discussion. The Military Intelligence Department used a hidden message technique to convey: Tonight at midnight, intercept Zhou Chuan. I came to you to ask, who is Zhou Chuan?"

Zhang Xia unfolded the newspaper and looked for a moment, "Zhou Chuan… the person the Military Intelligence Department wants to intercept must be an official of our court. Our court has four officials named Zhou Chuan. One is a civil servant from Taiyuan Prefecture, another is the County Chief of Wannian County, while two others are in the Capital. One is a clerk in the Observatory recording stars, and the other is the Executive Officer under the Qing Officials Division of the Craftsmanship Supervisor's Military Equipment Bureau, responsible for overseeing military equipment manufacturing, with a ninth-grade rank. The one who the Military Intelligence Department intends to intercept should be the latter."

Chen Ji lamented, "It was indeed right to come to you... who wrote this article?"

Zhang Xia returned to the room, "I wasn't here yesterday, but Brother Pao records the source of each article. We can check it."

She opened a blue ledger on a desk, where the origins of each advertisement and article were recorded in charcoal pencil.

Zhang Xia flipped through the ledger and eventually pointed with her finger, "It was collected from Xuan Nanfang, submitted by a middle-aged man, wearing a square cap, black boots, with a goatee, and a bluish birthmark the size of a nail on his left cheek. He said if his article was published, the writing fee should be sent to the Zhai Mansion in Shijia Alley, Xuan Nanfang."

Chen Ji pondered deeply, Xuan Nanfang, Shijia Alley, Zhai Mansion... There is no need to investigate; this place must be false.

Zhang Xia closed the ledger, "What do you plan to do? The Military Intelligence Department is ruthless and is not someone you can fight alone. It would be best to inform the Spy Department; they will decide."

Chen Ji pondered further.

The Military Intelligence Department, in robbing the Executive Officer of the Craftsmanship Supervisor's Military Equipment Bureau, is sure to have Executive Officers involved, possibly even at the Seeking Dao Realm. To be safe, it is best to inform Bai Long.

Just as Chen Ji was about to turn and leave, he suddenly stopped, "No, something's off."

The Military Intelligence Department is tightly organized, with everyone undergoing rigorous training. Once a spy is out of control, they are subject to a loyalty test upon return.

Like when Si Caogui returned to the Ning Dynasty, the first thing was to test his loyalty.

Si Caoding remained hidden for over a decade without being found. A person so cautious, even if he knew the Capital Morning News was the best channel for the Military Intelligence Department to convey messages, would repeatedly test its reliability.

Furthermore, the Military Intelligence Department had just killed an artisan from the Craftsmanship Supervisor; how could they rashly move against another from the same bureau in such tense times?

Zhai Mansion, Zhou Chuan, it's all a probe, a trap.

Chen Ji looked towards Zhang Xia, "Today we do nothing; ignore Zhai Mansion and Zhou Chuan alike."

Zhang Xia understood, "Alright."

...

...

Early the next morning.

Chen Ji, as usual, exited the side door of the Chen Mansion, bought a newspaper from a ruffian, and read while walking.

He was not the only one; now in the streets of the Capital, people holding newspapers could be seen everywhere. A newspaper had silently changed the lives of the Ning Dynasty people.

Upon reaching the top floor of Meirui Building, Zhang Xia was already waiting there. Seeing him come up, she got straight to the point, "As you expected, the Military Intelligence Department did nothing last night. However, this way, the clue has broken off again."

Chen Ji was in no hurry, finding a chair to sit on, "It doesn't matter; they will surface again."

As soon as he finished speaking, footsteps were heard from the staircase; Er Dao came up holding a stack of paper, "Landlord, here are today's ad buyers."

Chen Ji took it and looked through each piece. After going through all of them, he suddenly went back and pulled out one from the thick stack.

He scrutinized the content closely, then closed his eyes to piece together the deconstructed text, "Tonight at midnight, burn Shijia Alley."

Chen Ji opened his eyes; this time, Si Caoding used the Reverse Cut Technique.

He looked at Zhang Xia, "Where is Shijia Alley?"

Zhang Xia recalled, "It is south of the Imperial Music Bureau, separated by Julan Alley. Shijia Alley is nothing special; it's a place where some inner city officials keep consorts."

The Imperial Music Bureau is divided into Yanle Alley and Bureau's Alley, the former being the Danbi Grand Music Hall, the latter a House of Pleasure.

The actors and prostitutes in the Imperial Music Bureau are all criminals. If an official in the Imperial Music Bureau fancies an actor and does not want to pay a hefty redemption fee, they bribe the Ministry of Rites' officials to keep the actor in Julan Alley and Shijia Alley, becoming the official's exclusive possession.

From then on, the actor does not need to receive guests in the Imperial Music Bureau, only returning to sign the attendance register during court inspections.

Chen Ji curiously asked, "The Military Intelligence Department surely doesn't want to burn Shijia Alley to destroy this den of vice, but for an official in that alley... Who are the officials keeping consorts there?"

This time, Zhang Xia was silent, "I don't know."

She then added, "I really don't know."

Chen Ji chuckled freely, the brothel area was indeed a place Zhang Xia had never concerned herself with, "No matter who is in Shijia Alley, I guess the Military Intelligence Department is still probing. Let's wait a bit longer."

That night, Chen Ji still did not go to Shijia Alley to investigate, returning to the Silver Apricot Garden by 9 to 11 PM.

He lay on his bed, pondering strategies, when suddenly he heard someone shouting outside, "The inner city is on fire!"

Chen Ji abruptly got up from his bed, threw on his clothes, and jumped onto the roof, seeing enormous flames rising in the east, turning the sky above the Capital a dark red.

Chen Ji stood on the rooftop in silence. He had not expected the Military Intelligence Department not to be testing tonight but to have truly set Shijia Alley ablaze.

The recent days had seen strong winds, causing the fire to blow southward, quickly spreading to Dry Noodle Alley, Shicao Alley, and even the Fire Armor Soldiers of Fuyou Street were dispatched to the inner city east to extinguish the fire.

This Si Caoding's actions are cunning and unexpected, employing unexpected moves.

Chen Ji watched the great fire from afar, as if observing a mysterious and unpredictable chess player, making dangerous moves in the chessboard of the Capital, Healing Solitary Swallowing Dragon.

This is also what he does best.

Chen Ji did not go to Shijia Alley but instead jumped down from the rooftop, laying back on his bed as if nothing had happened. Resting is key to competing with such an opponent.