Chen Ji held a book in his hands, hiding behind the bookshelf while calmly watching the Divine Chief Eunuch approach the counter through a gap in the shelves.
The Divine Chief Eunuch took out a copy of the Four Books with Chapter Notes from his robe and asked in a lowered voice, "Do you accept the Four Books with Chapter Notes here?"
Chen Ji eyed that book with suspicion, not acting rashly.
At this mont, Aunt Ping, standing behind the counter, leisurely said, "Don't you know the rules? Bringing your spies here has exposed Wenchang Bookstore. How many will have to leave the Imperial Capital to avoid danger? I'll report this to Shangjing, and whether you can continue as a Si Cao, the Division Head will decide."
The Divine Chief Eunuch placed the book on the counter, looking displeased as well: "By coming here today, I too risk exposure. The lord has long instructed that 'Heaven' and 'Earth' should never et. By summoning here today, you've already broken a taboo. If Tidings finds out, we'll both find it unbearable!"
Aunt Ping remained unflustered, coldly laughing, "Do you think I wanted to see you? Your branch has such a major issue, the Division Head naturally wants to ask how things are being handled."
The Divine Chief Eunuch said in a firm voice, "We're not under the Division Head's jurisdiction, so stop using him to pressure . According to the rules, as long as two of the five Si Cao remain, it's not ti to activate you. You only need to wait in the shadows and be the Shadow."
Aunt Ping's voice grew heavier, "If the Division Head doesn't intervene soon, it's likely you all will die out soon."
The Divine Chief Eunuch took a deep breath, "Enough small talk. Tell , how did Si Caogui die? Was he captured by the Spy Departnt? Was he interrogated by ng Ji?"
Aunt Ping replied, "Si Caogui went to Changping County to assassinate Princess Liyang and Yuan Cheng but fell into a trap by the Marquis of Wuxiang. After his capture, he didn't commit suicide and was secretly taken by the Spy Departnt's n in an ambush. It was the Division Head who took action to cleanse the ranks."
The Divine Chief Eunuch slowly exhaled, "It's good he's dead."
Aunt Ping suddenly asked, "In the twelfth year of Jianing, a Vice General from Guyuan escaped back to the Imperial Capital and then vanished without a trace. What was this person's na?"
The Divine Chief Eunuch was stunned in place.
He had previously used the na of a Ministry of Revenue clerk to verify identity, and Aunt Ping had answered correctly. Now when Aunt Ping questioned him, he couldn't answer.
In a soft voice, Aunt Ping said, "You're not Si Caoding."
The Divine Chief Eunuch stepped back, "Si Caoding? You delivered a ssage through the Capital Morning News without specifying that Si Caoding should co. Who are you, and why are you looking for Si Caoding?"
Aunt Ping continued, "You're not even a Si Cao."
The Divine Chief Eunuch's expression remained unchanged, "Who says I'm not?"
Aunt Ping smiled, "The person who sent you probably didn't tell you the rule of one of the twins must remain. Heaven and Earth should not et; if they must et, afterward, either you clean up , or I clean up you. Only one can live."
The Divine Chief Eunuch's face changed dramatically.
Aunt Ping examined his expression and said with regret, "Not knowing even this rule, you're just a scapegoat... capture him alive."
In the next mont, the doors of Wenchang Bookstore suddenly closed, the central hall darkening abruptly, and Shi San, unseen until now, flipped down from the ceiling beams, attacking the Divine Chief Eunuch.
The Divine Chief Eunuch stumbled backward rapidly, lacking the deanor of an Executive Officer, just an ordinary man.
As Shi San's Moon Hook flew towards the Divine Chief Eunuch's face, the two n guarding him didn't try to block Shi San. Instead, they each drew a dark blue dagger and plunged it into the Divine Chief Eunuch's waist.
The Divine Chief Eunuch turned his head in disbelief as a black stain spread rapidly under his skin along his veins, a layer of gray fog covering his eyes... the daggers were poisoned!
Chen Ji leapt from behind the bookshelf, attempting to seize the two n, but before he closed in, he saw that they had already turned pallid, slowly collapsing to the ground.
No desperate struggle, no last stand; the fight was over before it even began.
In the dim light, Chen Ji squatted beside the two Military Intelligence Departnt Death Soldiers, frowning, "They swallowed poison to kill themselves, a clean and swift death."
Aunt Ping said in a solemn voice, "Si Caoding didn't trust the ssage you sent out. He just wanted to use the opportunity to throw out a fake Si Caoding so he could escape... he knows we're onto him. But after this, Si Caoding will be like a frightened bird, catching him will be difficult."
Chen Ji remained silent.
Seeing this, Aunt Ping patiently reassured, "Si Caoding is cunning and devious. I've searched for him for so long without finding him. It's normal for you to fail a few tis."
In a low voice, Chen Ji said, "But I'm running out of ti."
Si Caoding lived up to his reputation. Even though Chen Ji had waited so long, refraining from action regardless of the other's probes, their target still did not appear.
Even invoking the identities of the Division Head and Si Caobing didn't work.
Chen Ji gazed at the three corpses on the ground, just as he pondered his next move, a knock ca from outside the door.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound seed to strike at the heart. Chen Ji and Aunt Ping turned their heads abruptly, as if trying to see through the closed wooden door.
Who was knocking? Was it a spy under Si Caoding, or soone else observing in secret?
Aunt Ping signaled to Shi San, who imdiately dragged the three bodies towards the backyard.
The knock ca again from outside the door.
Aunt Ping was about to open the door when Chen Ji grasped her wrist, silently shaking his head.
Monts later, the voice of Shen Ye murmuring to himself was heard from outside: "Strange, wasn't the door just open earlier? Why close so early?"
After speaking, Shen Ye's footsteps faded away, and he did not continue knocking.
Inside the main hall of Wenchang Bookstore, Chen Ji turned to Aunt Ping, softly asking: "What is Tidings? This is the first ti I've heard this na."
Aunt Ping pondered for a mont and softly replied: "At the beginning of the Military Intelligence Departnt founded by Lu Jin, the Military Intelligence Departnt Chief commanded all Ten Departnts of Yama. He himself was the Ksitigarbha above the Division Head. He divided the ten Si Caos into two groups, one as heaven, the other as earth, with only 'earth' doing tasks daily, while 'heaven' hid its presence, unseen by each other, until 'earth' suffered great losses, then 'heaven' could be mobilized. Tidings is the role responsible for monitoring heaven and earth, enforcing family rules."
Chen Ji's understanding of the Military Intelligence Departnt ca entirely from Si Caogui, and Si Caogui had never ntioned these.
He looked at Aunt Ping: "How does Aunt Ping know this?"
Aunt Ping's figure paused: "To catch Si Caoding, I once interrogated the forr Tidings."
Chen Ji's expression changed.
No, Aunt Ping was lying.
Tidings is an aloof role of the Military Intelligence Departnt, designed by Lu Jin to monitor everyone. If soone with such status as Tidings was really caught and interrogated by Aunt Ping, why go to such lengths to find Si Caoding?
Chen Ji suddenly felt that regarding the Military Intelligence Departnt, including the Division Head, Ksitigarbha, Tidings, and many other pieces of information, Aunt Ping hadn't spoken the truth. Her complex love-hate relationship with the Military Intelligence Departnt certainly wasn't just about tracking Si Caoding.
Earlier, watching Aunt Ping converse fluently with the Divine Palace Supervisor, Chen Ji in that mont even had the illusion it was two Si Caos talking.
Aunt Ping interrupted his thoughts: "What do you plan to do?"
Chen Ji pondered for a mont: "That person just now was Si Caoding."
Aunt Ping imdiately understood: "You're going to hand him over?"
Chen Ji nodded: "Aunt Ping, today I must catch Si Caoding, or else certain things can't be accomplished. No one currently knows who Si Caoding is, so I'll hand over the Divine Palace Supervisor first, and cross this hurdle."
Aunt Ping pondered: "The Divine Palace Supervisor is of high status; handing him over would be plausible. Si Caoding will surely remain silent for a long ti, and no one will co out to uncover you."
At this point, Aunt Ping affird: "It'll work. Let's do it this way."
...
...
At 7 p.m., the sky grew dark.
A carriage stopped in front of Wenchang Bookstore, Shi San quietly opened the door and, with the attendants, carried three corpses onto the carriage.
Before getting on the carriage, Chen Ji turned to Aunt Ping: "Thank you, Aunt Ping."
Aunt Ping stood in the threshold of Wenchang Bookstore and said with a smile: "No need for politeness, hurry and go."
Chen Ji drove the carriage to the inner city, passing by Wenyuan Bookstore, only hearing joyful laughter inside.
He didn't pay much attention, shakily driving the carriage through Xuanwu Gate, finally stopping outside Taiye Pond.
Bai Long stood alone waiting, seeing Chen Ji jump off the carriage, casually said: "I thought you were going to break your promise. The Pri Minister only gives one chance to everyone; if you break this promise, it'll be hard to seek his help again."
Chen Ji bowed: "Thankfully, I didn't fail. I've found out that Si Caoding is the Divine Palace Supervisor, hiding within Ritual Supervision to gather palace secrets, and I have now apprehended him... only that the spies of the Military Intelligence Departnt are cunning and ruthless; when I surrounded them, they committed suicide."
Bai Long walked to the carriage, lifted the curtain for a glance, then turned back to Chen Ji, asking aningfully: "Are you sure this person is Si Caoding?"
Chen Ji replied boldly: "I lured him out with the identity of Si Caobing; he ca as agreed, identifying himself as Si Caoding, and the verification was correct, confird to be Si Caoding."
Bai Long asked no more, only tossing out a sentence: "Wait here, I'll report to the Pri Minister."
Chen Ji stood by the carriage, watching Bai Long's figure disappear into the night of Taiye Pond. He paced back and forth, carefully contemplating if there were any oversights, uncertain if he could deceive the Pri Minister.
Ten minutes later, Bai Long returned to the car but didn't imdiately speak.
Chen Ji asked: "Lord Bai Long, what did the Pri Minister say?"
Bai Long replied calmly: "The Pri Minister said you're not the first to deceive him, nor will you be the last. This ti he won't punish you, but don't let it happen again."
Chen Ji's mood sank to the bottom: "Why is the Pri Minister so sure this person isn't Si Caoding?"
Bai Long gazed at Chen Ji: "The Pri Minister says this person doesn't have the guts."
Chen Ji said in a low voice: "Perhaps he usually masked extrely well, feigning cowardice and weakness?"
Bai Long turned and walked into Taiye Pond: "No need to argue, the Pri Minister says he's not, then he definitely isn't. Go ahead, you have three hours."
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