The headquarters, the candlelight, the Go board.
Chen Ji placed a black piece, making an ingenious move.
Looking at this brilliant move, Bai Long fell into deep thought.
This was actually his first time thinking for more than ten breaths. With this single piece placed, he felt that although Chen Ji had given up a corner, he had brought the entire board to life.
Bai Long said with a smile, "It seems I can no longer play fast chess with you. Sudden realization in life sometimes happens in an instant, and sometimes it takes a lifetime. How many people live In a Daze until they reach their twilight years, never figuring out what exactly they want to do with their lives? Congratulations, it seems you have already figured it out."
Chen Ji remained composed. "Lord Bai Long overpraises me. This humble subordinate actually still hasn't figured it out. On the contrary, Your Lordship had the proper path of an Advanced Scholar available to you; why did you enter the Secret Spy Division?"
Bai Long lifted his head and cast a glance at him. "Actually daring to inquire about this seat's background? Showing no respect for your elders. If there's a next time, be careful that this seat doesn't hang you from the roof beams and beat you."
Chen Ji didn't take these words to heart. By now, he had already realized that this Bai Long's moods were fickle and unpredictable, but as long as you were still useful to him, you would definitely be fine.
Thinking for a moment, he asked, "Just now, Your Lordship said you had a task to assign me. Might I ask what it is? Capturing Han Tong?"
"Capturing Han Tong isn't urgent for now. Now that he's like a loach slipping into the river, he won't be easy to find. We'll have to wait and see." Looking at the chessboard, Bai Long asked unhurriedly, "How much do you know about the Chen Family's Family Head, Chen Luchi?"
Chen Ji's heart tightened. The Secret Spy Division's next target was the Chen Family?
Bai Long cast a sideways glance at him. "What, does a member of the Chen Family not even know his own family's affairs?"
Chen Ji said softly, "The Family Head is suspicious by nature, fickle in his moods, and obstinate, clinging stubbornly to his own opinions. In the Chen Family, his word is absolute law; the entire Chen Family is effectively ruled by his voice alone."
Bai Long was amused. "What about the eldest legitimate son of the first branch, Chen Lizun?"
Chen Ji pondered for a moment and said, "Weak and incompetent. His ability to reach the position of a Director in the Ministry of Revenue is entirely reliant on the Chen Family's protection and influence. His status within the family is not high; the affairs of the first branch are entirely managed and decided by his primary wife, the Wang Clan."
"The second legitimate son of the second branch, Chen Lizhi?"
"On the surface, he appears gentle, kind, pure, and harmonious, but in reality, he is sinister, vicious, and crafty. He manages the Chen Family's finances, agricultural lands, and family businesses, but behind the scenes, he secretly operates brothels and casinos, running lamb's interest loans."
The so-called "lamb's interest" was just exorbitant usury. If you borrowed ten taels of silver, you'd have to pay back twenty taels the next year. Otherwise, it would lead to your family's ruin and the separation of your wife and children.
These kinds of businesses couldn't be brought out into the open, so they could only be operated secretly by white-glove proxies behind the scenes.
Throughout Bai Long's questioning, Chen Ji experienced scares but no actual danger.
Previously, to conceal his identity as an outsider from another world, he had carefully and meticulously read through the case files concerning the Chen Family in the Inner Prison. Now, that knowledge came in handy.
However, at this moment, Bai Long's topic abruptly shifted. "What about Chen Yu?"
Chen Ji hesitated in his heart... Chen Yu?
He had actually never even heard of this person's name before. There were absolutely no records of him even within the Secret Spy Division's case file archives. Why would Bai Long suddenly ask about this person?
How should he answer this? Should he know him, or should he not know him?
According to the Chen Family's customary practices, Legitimate Sons of the same generation had three-character names; for example, the character "Li" in Chen Liqin indicated his generational ranking. A Concubine's Son did not possess this generational character, resulting in a two-character name.
Chen Yu must definitely be a Concubine's Son of the Chen Family as well, but he didn't know which branch he belonged to.
If Chen Ji and Chen Yu were familiar with each other, they would presumably have exchanged letters. But after so much time, he had never once seen a single letter from the other party.
Chen Ji deliberated for a moment. "Lord Bai Long, this humble subordinate is not familiar with this person."
"Not familiar?" Bai Long sized Chen Ji up. "Are you truly not familiar? This seat actually assumed that since you entered the Chen Family's academy in the same year, you two should have had some interactions and friendship."
Chen Ji said calmly, "Lord, in this day and age, who truly dares to say they completely understand someone else?"
"That's true as well." Bai Long stood up and paced around the headquarters. "I won't need to ask much about the bloodline of your father in the third branch. The very first thing this seat needs you to do is to return to the Chen Family."
Chen Ji froze. Return to the Chen Family?
Bai Long smiled. "This seat knows you've said multiple times that you want to sever all ties and have absolutely no further connection with the Chen Family. It's just that, in this world, how can there truly be blood relations and familial bonds that can be cleanly severed? When you return to the Chen Family, Lord Chen will presumably be overjoyed,"
Chen Ji stood up. "Since Lord Bai Long has issued an order, this humble subordinate shall naturally obey and absolutely not decline."
Bai Long burst into loud laughter. "The relationship between father and son has historically always been complex. Like ruler and minister, like friends, and also like enemies. It's only when a father lies on his sickbed in his final moments that they truly become father and son. This seat won't ask too much about the matters between you father and son. It's also time to let go of some of the past grievances and resentments; the bigger picture is what's important."
Chen Ji lowered his head. "This humble subordinate understands."
As his head remained lowered, the light in his eyes flickered.
Bai Long was absolutely right; ordinary father-son relationships were indeed impossible to sever and messy to untangle. But as it happened, he had come from the Forty-Nine Heavens and had absolutely zero connection with Chen Liqin.
But Bai Long didn't know this.
And the reason Bai Long hadn't killed him wasn't solely out of respect for Bing Hu's face, but also because the other party had long wanted to utilize his identity as a member of the Chen Family.
When ordinary people played chess, looking three steps ahead was already considered the mark of an expert. Bai Long was different; he looked ten steps ahead, perhaps even a hundred steps.
At this time, Bai Long said with a smile, "But you must also understand that that day in Prince Jing's Estate, Lord Chen did not protect you; he only protected Chen Wenxiao. From here on out, view familial bonds more lightly. You only need to serve His Majesty and Lord Inner Chancellor; utterly ignore everything else."
Chen Ji said humbly, "Obeying your command. It's just that, what does Lord Bai Long want this humble subordinate to do by returning to the Chen Family?"
Standing beside the desk, Bai Long tapped his fingers against its surface. "After the Lantern Festival, Chen Wenzong and Chen Wenxiao are going to enter the Capital City to take the imperial examinations. Chen Liqin's transfer order is also on its way. Chen Luchi is going to transfer him back to the capital, promoting him to Junior Supervisor of the Household in the Supervisorate of Instruction, entering the Eastern Palace administration to assist the Crown Prince. By returning to the Chen Family, you can naturally legitimately accompany them back to the Capital City."
The Supervisorate of Instruction was the institution responsible for serving the imperial princes. The Junior Supervisor of the Household was an upper-fourth rank official. After the incident in Luo City, not only did Chen Liqin not get demoted, he was even promoted, soaring high into the clouds.
Bai Long looked towards the night sky outside the headquarters. "Ah, Chen Ji, the capital region is the true place of lethal danger. Be cautious in all things, and be careful in all things. Only by staying alive and preserving yourself can you accomplish more things."
Chen Ji was bewildered. "But Lord, I am merely a Concubine's Son of the third branch. Even if I return to the Chen Family and the Capital City, I'm afraid I won't be welcomed by anyone and will be unable to inquire about the Chen Family's core, confidential secrets."
Bai Long was amused. "This seat never expected you to dig up anything in the short term anyway. Just go in and stay there for now. Once you arrive in the Capital City, I will naturally arrange tasks for you."
Chen Ji asked calmly, "Lord, the Chen Family belongs to the Pure Stream Faction; they disdain associating with the likes of us."
Bai Long smiled. "There aren't many people who know your identity as a Gyrfalcon anyway. Right now, those who should be dead are dead, those who should be captured are captured, and those who should have left have left. By my estimation, Lord Chen is probably still completely kept in the dark at this very moment. Rest assured, this seat's side will naturally send down orders to help cover for you a little."
At this time, footsteps transmitted from outside the door. Secret spies escorted the remnants of the Liu Family into the headquarters—forty-seven people in total.
Chen Ji asked, "Lord, must all the remnants of the Liu Family be killed?"
Bai Long didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "There are several hundred thousand people in the Liu Family's branch lineages. If this seat slaughtered them all, I'd have nightmares in the middle of the night. We just arrested those outside the five mourning grades for interrogation. If there are no issues, we'll release them."
"Mhm."
Bai Long waved a hand at Chen Ji. "Go back and rest. The past is entirely written off. From here on out, work diligently under me. As for the Commandery Princess's matter, this seat will still mediate on your behalf; I won't let her suffer."
Chen Ji hesitated for a moment. "Lord, may I go and visit the Commandery Princess?"
Bai Long scolded with a laugh, "Don't reach out for a yard after taking an inch in front of this seat. Not killing you is because I cherish your talent, and keeping you alive is because you still have major uses. Scram."
Chen Ji clasped his hands and took his leave. "Yes."
Right before he stepped out the door, Bai Long called out to him. "Chen Ji."
Chen Ji turned his head. "What instructions does Your Lordship have?"
Bai Long said calmly, "If you want to accomplish grand achievements, your city-like shrewdness and depths must be profound. Do not let people easily see through you. A person who cannot part with anything cannot change anything."
Chen Ji froze in a daze. A moment later, he answered, "This humble subordinate will remember it."
"Go on."
Upon exiting the headquarters, Chen Ji suddenly stopped dead in his tracks because, shockingly, among the arrested Liu Family remnants, there was a familiar figure... Liu Quxing.
The accumulated snow in the courtyard was already messed up. Liu Quxing and his family members had their hands bound as they were held in custody within the crowd of people.
Cowering timidly behind his mother, Liu Quxing inadvertently lifted his head and saw Chen Ji walking out of the headquarters. His eyes instantly turned red, and he stumbled as he ran towards him.
However, when Liu Quxing arrived in front of him, he spat a mouthful of saliva right onto Chen Ji's face. Lowering his voice, he roared furiously from the bottom of his throat, "Were you also involved in Prince Jing's Estate being framed and falsely accused? You animal! The Commandery Princess and the Prince Heir treated you so well in vain; you're worse than a beast!"
As Liu Quxing cursed, he began to cry. "What exactly has happened to this world? What has happened to all of you?"
Chen Ji stood in place, standing amidst the heavy snow. He did not speak, nor did he raise his hand to wipe the saliva off his face.
Seeing Liu Quxing spit saliva onto Chen Ji's face, the secret spy responsible for keeping the Liu Family remnants in custody was instantly horrified. He hurriedly ran over and grabbed Liu Quxing. "Lord, this humble subordinate deserves death!"
Chen Ji wiped away the saliva with his sleeve. "I am acquainted with this person. Their family was not involved in the Liu Family's treasonous rebellion; release them."
The secret spy was stunned. "Lord?"
Chen Ji looked over calmly. "Do my words carry no weight?"
The secret spy lowered his head. "Yes."
Without casting another glance at Liu Quxing, Chen Ji strode purposefully into the torrential heavy snow. From then on, he no longer liked heavy snow, nor did he have many nights and days that he eagerly anticipated.
(End of this chapter)