Chapter 54: Gyrfalcon

“Half the credit for me, half for you. How does that sound?”

The once boisterous gambling den was now deathly silent.

Inside a lavishly decorated private room, a plump man known as Golden Pig sat at a round table.

Upon the table, a hanged corpse swayed from a ceiling beam, yet Golden Pig sat there smiling as if nothing were wrong, as if a flirtatious girl from the red-light district were sitting beside him.

Chen Ji sat down across from him and asked curiously, “Lord Golden Pig, if we catch a spy from the Jing Dynasty tonight, the credit will be substantial. Are you really just going to hand it to me like that?”

Golden Pig poured a cup of hot tea for Chen Ji and said unhurriedly, “Over the years, thanks to the trust of the Grand Chancellor, I have been allowed to manage the purse strings of the Secret Intelligence Bureau. I didn't understand much at first—grain shops, brothels, gambling dens, clothing stores—I fell into many traps and lost a lot of money. But the Grand Chancellor said nothing; he only told me not to fear making mistakes.”

Chen Ji suddenly realized that this Golden Pig was likely an orphan adopted by the Grand Chancellor as well.

To hold the financial power of the Bureau at such a young age, and to have his losses tolerated by the Grand Chancellor, suggested an incredibly deep connection. Almost every word out of Golden Pig's mouth revealed a profound admiration for the Grand Chancellor.

To the outside world, he was a corrupt official, but to Golden Pig, he was a father figure.

Golden Pig continued, “Later, I discovered I actually had a knack for business and slowly learned the ropes. I realized that third-rate investment is investing labor—mimicking others to run a small business, like a noodle shop; second-rate investment is investing in skill—doing what others cannot, like making icing; first-rate investment is making money from money, yielding massive profits, like a money changer. But none of these are the most brilliant...”

Chen Ji mused, “Then what is the most brilliant investment?”

Golden Pig smiled. “Investing in 'people,' of course.”

He sighed with emotion, “In all these years, my most correct investment was helping Tianma. Back then, I wasn't 'Golden Pig' yet, and he was just a lowly little spy. Every time he caught a spy, he was the first one to charge in. No matter how tired he was after the job, a single bowl of beef noodles would wipe the exhaustion away, and he’d go to sleep happy. The way he ate those noodles, you’d think they were the most delicious thing in the world.”

“Later, when I became Golden Pig and he was still just a low-ranking Pigeon-level spy, I gave all my credit to him to help him secure a path to cultivation, allowing him to become the Tianma of today. Over the years, the lower nine ranks have come and gone like falling petals, but only Xuan She and I have remained steady. Xuan She stayed because of Bai Long’s protection; as for me, it was because of Tianma.”

For a moment, Chen Ji felt a flicker of human warmth within the cold and ruthless Secret Intelligence Bureau.

He imagined the scene of the knife-behind-the-smile Golden Pig taking the young Tianma to a noodle shop after a capture—the two of them peeling garlic and chatting, perhaps saying, "That was a close one."

No matter how he thought about it, it felt somewhat surreal.

It was no wonder that despite being only in the lower nine Zodiac ranks, this man was far more formidable than Yun Yang or Jiao Tu.

“May I ask, Lord Golden Pig, what rank must one reach to obtain a path to cultivation?” Chen Ji asked softly.

Golden Pig drained his tea in one gulp. “Hai Dongqing. That is the threshold. Once you become a Hai Dongqing, you are no longer a mere little spy; even the civil officials will no longer dare to look down on you. At the same time, you will gain the opportunity to glimpse the Great Dao of Longevity.”

“Then, if I am promoted, what will you need me to do, Lord Golden Pig?” Chen Ji asked curiously.

Golden Pig smiled. “Currently, the position of 'Hai Dongqing' in Luocheng is vacant. I don't know if the Grand Chancellor is intentionally leaving it open or if there truly are no suitable candidates, but someone must eventually fill it. I have many businesses in Luocheng that naturally need someone to look after them. You don't need to do anything special—just don't let anyone harass them.”

“What businesses do you own, My Lord?” Chen Ji asked.

Golden Pig laughed heartily. “I just added one. It’s perfect for letting you get familiar with the ropes... Bring him in!”

...

...

Two spies dragged in a thin, short merchant and forced him to kneel on the ground.

The merchant sobbed uncontrollably, “My Lord, I am Chao Cang! I have always operated honestly. This gambling den has absolutely no connection to the Jing Dynasty spies!”

Golden Pig crouched before him and said calmly, “You say there is no connection, and so there is none? If there is no connection, why did a Jing spy pass through your establishment? And why did a fight break out in your shop? Sign the property deed honestly, and you can avoid physical suffering. Otherwise, your entire family will be executed or exiled to Lingnan... Give him the paper and pen.”

The spy tossed the prepared contract onto the ground and said coldly, “Boss Chao, sign it and press your thumbprint.”

Chen Ji: “...”

So, all of Golden Pig's assets were acquired this way?!

This wasn't "massive profits from capital"; this was "massive profits from nothing"!

Trembling, the gambling den owner finally pressed his thumbprint and was dragged away like a heap of mud.

Chen Ji asked in confusion, “Lord Golden Pig, this businessman shouldn't be a Jing spy... Does the Bureau of Criminal Punishment not care?”

Golden Pig glanced at him and said earnestly, “Of course he isn't. But I manage the purse strings of the Bureau, and there are many mouths to feed. Naturally, I must find ways to increase revenue and reduce expenses for the Grand Chancellor to ease his burden. Hehe, Lin Chaoqing of the Bureau of Criminal Punishment is out of Luocheng today; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“What if someone finds out?” Chen Ji asked.

Golden Pig stood up and patted his shoulder. “Gambling dens are harmful to society, and that Boss Chao was a man of great sin. He will commit suicide tonight out of guilt. Don't worry, no one will find out.”

Having said this, he looked at Chen Ji with a smile. “I am telling you this because I consider you a confidant. You wouldn't report me, would you? Rest assured, following me is much more lucrative than following Jiao Tu or Yun Yang. The imperial court will give you an annual salary of twenty-four taels of silver, and I will give you another twenty-four. That makes forty-eight in total.”

Chen Ji thought to himself that forty-eight taels wouldn't even cover the cost of his own cultivation. “Is that only for a few people, or for everyone?”

Golden Pig responded, “For everyone. The brothers risk their lives every day; what can twenty-four taels a year do? The civil officials restrict our salaries, but the Grand Chancellor naturally has his ways. Many people look down on my position, saying I reek of nothing but copper and greed, but what do they know? I manage the internal allowances and pensions of the Bureau. Life is tight; how can one survive without careful calculation?”

Watching Chen Ji's expression, he added slowly, “Once you become a Hai Dongqing and obtain a path to cultivation, I will also distribute extra cultivation resources to you every month.”

Chen Ji probed, “What kind of resources, and how much can an ordinary Hai Dongqing receive?”

Golden Pig thought for a moment. “For an ordinary martial artist's cultivation path, if there is no merit that month, you might get about six stalks of old mountain ginseng. If there is merit, the more merit you have, the more you receive.”

Chen Ji's heart stirred. So this was the most important part. The Ning Dynasty had twelve provinces and over two hundred cities, which meant over two hundred Hai Dongqings. The monthly distribution of cultivation resources alone would be an astronomical sum!

Just the six ginseng stalks distributed this month would total about one hundred and ninety taels—more money than many people could earn in ten years!

Golden Pig looked directly at Chen Ji and said seriously, “But you must remember: this is given to you by the Grand Chancellor, not by the Imperial Court.”

Chen Ji understood. Golden Pig did not control the maritime, silver, or textile bureaus; the money earned by those departments went to the Emperor and the Inner Court. What Golden Pig controlled was the Grand Chancellor's own private treasury.

He stood up and cupped his hands. “Lord Golden Pig, your subordinate will walk through fire and water for the Grand Chancellor without hesitation!”

Golden Pig smiled and reached out to take his hand. “The credit for luring and killing the Jing spy tonight is one thing, but if you can capture the defecting spy, that will be a massive achievement. I know you are exceptionally clever; I am counting on you for this.”

Chen Ji pondered for a moment. “Lord Golden Pig, are there any clues?”

In truth, this was what Chen Ji cared about most.

That Jing spy had seen his face; he had to find the man before the Secret Intelligence Bureau did.

If he couldn't find him in a day, he wouldn't be able to rest easy.

Speaking of clues regarding the defecting spy, Golden Pig began to grumble, “The spy was heavily wounded. He should have been easy to catch, but a sudden rainstorm broke his trail. Trying to find him in Luocheng now is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

At that moment, a cat's meow sounded outside the window. No one paid it any mind, assuming it was just a stray seeking shelter from the rain.

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, “Then Lord Golden Pig, please continue to wait here for the Jing spy. I will go downstairs to see if there are any clues regarding the defecting spy.”

With that, he exited the private room and lowered his bamboo hat.

Inside the room, a spy said, “My Lord, he knows our plan to lure the enemy. Should we be careful that he leaks the information?”

Golden Pig nodded. “Keep an eye on him. Don't give him a chance to leave 'Chao Cang.' Although the Mengji test showed he isn't a Jing spy, it's better to be safe than sorry.”

...

...

As Chen Ji walked down from the second floor, spies stood at every corridor with hands on their waist-swords, almost every one of them carrying a hand crossbow.

Under such surveillance, if the Jing Dynasty's Intelligence Bureau wanted to come and silence him, they would certainly pay a heavy price.

But that had nothing to do with Chen Ji; he only cared about whether he would be exposed.

However, as he was halfway down the stairs, he happened to glance down and saw a familiar figure: it was none other than his own biological second brother, Chen Wenxiao!

Strange, why would Chen Wenxiao appear at a gambling den in the middle of the night? Could he also be involved with the Jing spy?

No, the man's complexion was sallow, his eyes were dark-circled, and he had lost the elegant air of a noble gentleman he possessed during the day. He was clearly a true gambling addict!

Chen Ji suddenly remembered the rumors about his own gambling addiction and felt there might be more to the story.

While he was thinking, Chen Wenxiao quietly looked around. Chen Ji pressed his hat lower and walked in another direction.

Inside the gambling den, copper coins and silver money were scattered across the floor. A trail of blood dripped from the entrance toward the backyard; that was likely the defecting spy's escape route.

Chen Ji followed the bloodstains toward the backyard. Upstairs, the spy beside Golden Pig leaned against the wooden railing, his eyes following Chen Ji's footsteps closely.

When he saw Chen Ji attempting to leave the gambling den, his gaze tightened, and he signaled to two spies downstairs to follow him.

However, Chen Ji stopped before exiting the building and turned into another corner, only then allowing the spies to relax.

Chen Ji reached a corner, leaned down as if searching for clues, and whispered, “Wuyun, Wuyun?”

From the shadows of the corner, a soaked Wuyun let out a meow. “I'm here!”

Chen Ji's expression was hidden beneath his hat as he whispered, “How did you find me?”

“I wanted to go to the clinic to tell you. Consort Jing planned to have Chunhua seduce you, but she found you weren't there,” Wuyun replied. “I asked a lot of cats along the way to find you here.”

In his astonishment, Chen Ji asked, “Wait, you asked a lot of cats?”

“Yeah,” Wuyun said, somewhat confused by Chen Ji's shock. “You humans ask other humans for directions; what's so strange about us cats asking cats for directions?”

“Can they answer questions? I mean... can those that haven't developed intelligence answer you?”

“Fat Oranges and Tabbies definitely can't; they aren't very smart, asking them is useless. But Calicos and Dragon-Li cats can; they are smarter, good fighters, and have large territories. But some Dragon-Li cats are hard to deal with; they have bad tempers,” Wuyun answered.

Chen Ji's mind raced. This was a development he had never even imagined. Stray cats were everywhere in Luocheng!

He asked quickly, “Can you have them help me find someone? The person is heavily wounded and went missing after escaping from the Chao Cang gambling den tonight!”

“Where did they flee to?”

“I don't know.”

“That'll be hard to find...” Wuyun fell silent for a moment. “We'll need to find a Calico. They have good luck with other cats; we can have them go to various territories to ask the Dragon-Li cats.”

“This concerns my life. We must find this person before the Secret Intelligence Bureau does!”

Wuyun curled its paws and thumped its chest. “Leave it to me. Don't worry!”