Green Mountain-Chapter 662 - 519: Aunt Ping

The Military Intelligence Department is extremely well-organized.

To prevent it from being completely wiped out by the Spy Department, Lu Jin deliberately divided the Military Intelligence Department into two branches, parallel to each other without any intersection.

Just when everyone believed the Military Intelligence Department should fall under the jurisdiction of the Division Head, the branches of Si Caoding and Si Caogui had never even met the Division Head.

This is something even the Spy Department doesn't know, but Chen Ji knows.

Currently, Si Caoding has already tested whether the Capital Morning News is reliable and has returned to silence, waiting to use this intelligence channel next time. Chen Ji doesn't know when the other party will slip up, but he doesn't have much time to wait; he needs to actively give Si Caoding a reason to appear.

Zhang Xia looked down at the coded messages Chen Ji wrote and suddenly asked, "How do you know the Military Intelligence Department so well?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Apart from Old Yao and Si Caogui, no one knows he is the nephew of Lu Jin, the Vice Minister of the Jing Dynasty, nor does anyone know he is also a member of the Military Intelligence Department.

Zhang Xia saw his silence, smiled, and said: "Forget it, I won't ask. Do you want to lure the Military Intelligence Department to Wenchang Bookstore? Will they take the bait?"

Chen Ji replied, "They will."

He thought carefully, if he were Si Caoding, what would he think after Si Caogui hurriedly left?

Si Caoding and Si Caogui have known each other for years, partnered for years; Si Caogui left in a hurry, not even having time to hand over arrangements to their spies.

Si Caoding would speculate if Si Caogui had fallen into the hands of the Spy Department, whether he would give him away, whether it would endanger half of the Military Intelligence Department's safety?

If he were Si Caoding, he would definitely find out what really happened; otherwise, he would have to pack up and prepare to flee.

Zhang Xia pondered for a moment: "What if Si Caoding only sends an insignificant spy to Wenchang Bookstore, we might still not find him."

Chen Ji shook his head lightly: "The rules of the Military Intelligence Department are strict, I invited him as Si Caobing to discuss, if he only sends someone insignificant, it would expose Si Caobing's identity. The twelve Si Caos have a ranking order, Si Caoding doesn't have the authority to do this."

Zhang Xia nodded: "Then let's inform the Spy Department, let them wait there."

"No," Chen Ji rejected: "Back in Luocheng City, someone in the Military Intelligence Department could even view the interrogation records of the Spy Department. I suspect there's a mole inside the Spy Department for Si Caoding. If we inform the Spy Department, it might alert them. The Prime Minister might also realize this, which is why he's eager to get rid of Si Caoding."

Si Caoding is too important, Chen Ji doesn't want any mistakes.

Zhang Xia frowned: "But fighting alone, I'm afraid it's dangerous."

At that moment, the wind outside Meirui Building blew in, rustling the bamboo paper on the desk. Chen Ji looked outside the building, distinctly feeling that he was very close to Si Caoding, maybe just one step forward might reveal the opponent's appearance.

Chen Ji turned and headed towards the stairs: "I'm going to find some help."

...

...

Chen Ji left Meihua Ferry Crossing, wandering around the Eight Great Hutongs before heading to Zhengyang Gate Street. In the morning, the Eight Great Hutongs were desolate, with sheets and bedding hanging on the railings, and freshly washed clothes.

Completely devoid of the nighttime splendor.

Chen Ji crossed Zhengyang Gate Street and finally stood hesitant outside Bianyifang Restaurant on Chessboard Street. Aunt Ping had said before, if anything happens, I could find her at Bianyifang...

But oddly, dealing with lamp matters always involves coded messages and signals, yet Aunt Ping didn't mention what the code for finding her was; should I just directly ask if Ping Zhao is around?

Moreover, it's unclear if Aunt Ping's injuries last time have healed...

At this time, Bianyifang hadn't opened yet, the servants inside the main hall were wiping the tables and chairs with rags, laughing and chatting.

Chen Ji stepped over the threshold, a servant laughed and said, "Guest, it's only Chen hour, the shop doesn't conduct business until 9:45 AM, it's not that we don't want to earn your money, but the chef hasn't woken up, can't prepare meals."

Chen Ji calmly said, "I'm here for Ping Zhao."

The servants were stunned, one of them threw the rag to a companion: "You guys continue cleaning, I'll go get Mr. Thirteen."

Moments later, Mr. Thirteen followed the servant downstairs, drowsy and cursing, "Waking me up early, you must be itching for a beating."

The servant quickly explained: "Previously you instructed, if anyone comes for Ping Zhao, wake you up promptly."

Mr. Thirteen was stunned: "Ping Zhao?"

He looked down from the stairs, once he saw Chen Ji, he became spirited.

Mr. Thirteen rushed to Chen Ji: "It's you... come on, let me take you to Aunt Ping."

He pulled Chen Ji's wrist, leading him out, marched from Chessboard Street into the west side's Nianzi Alley, stopping in front of a secluded courtyard, he knocked lightly three times, then heavily three times.

The door opened from the inside, Mrs. Lu stood in the doorway wearing a black veil hat.

Mr. Thirteen smiled: "You two talk, I'll guard the door."

Chen Ji entered the yard, examining the setup, suddenly feeling a sense of familiarity, until he saw the couplet in front of the main house, reading "Praying for Lin'er's safety" and "Hoping for Ji Zi's health," with the horizontal inscription "Longevity and prosperity."

Only then did he realize that the layout of this courtyard was exactly the same as Aunt Ping's residence in Changping, only lacking the Eight Diagrams Tai Chi Map ground pattern from training.

The door closed behind Chen Ji, Mrs. Lu asked with a smile: "What kind of tea would you like?"

Chen Ji was stunned: "Forget the tea, Aunt Ping, I'm here on serious business today."

But Mrs. Lu still walked into the side room: "Even if the sky falls, life goes on as usual, a cup of tea won't delay anything, sit down, tell me slowly."

Chen Ji sat by the stone table, noticed today's Capital Morning News on the table.

He picked up the paper curiously: "Aunt Ping reads the morning news too?"

Mrs. Lu responded from the side room: "Nowadays, who doesn't read the morning news? Officials' appointments, civilian oddities, everything the people want to know is in the morning news. Without reading, I wouldn't know you almost died outside Baidadan City… Were you severely injured then?"

Chen Ji was silent, this Aunt Ping was initially aloof, now she seemed to care more for him than the Chen family did. For some reason, he always felt she was like a senior, just sitting in her courtyard made him feel much more at ease.

At this moment, Mrs. Lu came out with a wooden tray, not only bearing tea but also sliced watermelon —for the first time in the Ning Dynasty, Chen Ji saw watermelon.

Mrs. Lu pointed to the watermelon: "This fruit is called watermelon, brought by a friend from Guyuan, rare in the Imperial Capital. To transport it, fine sand is used to fill the wagon, and the watermelon is buried in the sand, even so, three-tenths were spoiled upon arrival in the capital… You probably haven't tasted it yet, try it."

Chen Ji seemed to feel Aunt Ping's eager gaze from behind the black veil, yet he didn't move for the watermelon, but solemnly said: "Aunt Ping, Si Caoding is about to appear, I need you to kill him."