16. Trade

Anxi Street was deathly quiet, with the moonlight streaming onto the flagstone pavement like a flowing stream, serene and clear.

Chen Ji stood inside the door, silent, while outside, Yun Yang didn't rush him. The two men, just a door apart, stood quietly.

After a long contemplation, Chen Ji finally took a deep breath and slowly opened the door with a creak, "Lord Yunyang, what brings you here?"

Outside, Yun Yang, clad in black that seemed freshly ironed, held his hair neatly atop his head with a hairpin, resembling the young noblemen often seen in operas.

Separated by the high threshold of Taiping Medical Hall, Yun Yang smiled and asked, "Won't you invite me in to sit?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "There's nowhere to drink tea inside the clinic, let's just chat here at the door."

"Eh?" Yun Yang looked at Chen Ji with interest, "Don't you know I'm from the Spy Department? Didn't Doctor Yao tell you?"

"He did."

Yun Yang's smile faded, and he spoke indifferently, "Then you must know when the Spy Department says it wants to sit in someone's house, nobody dares to refuse. Aren't you afraid of me?"

With that, he stepped over the threshold, passing by Chen Ji as if he owned the place and headed into the Medical Hall.

"Fearful," Chen Ji turned around, candidly admitting, "but when I suggested we talk at the door, it was because I know you are in a rush and didn't want to waste your time."

"Oh?" Yun Yang placed his hands behind his back, looking around the clinic as he curiously asked, "Why am I in a hurry?"

Chen Ji stood at the door, watching Yun Yang's back, "You've arrested people from the Liu Family, causing Old Master Liu to faint from anger, and he doesn't have much time left. Lord Official from the Liu Family and the Minister of Personnel are rushing back to Luocheng City now. You must be really anxious, right?"

Yun Yang began to laugh, "With just the information that Doctor Yao was taken away by the Liu Family to treat someone, you're sure of my predicament? I'm here on the orders of the Lord Prime Minister, the Liu Family notwithstanding. I suspect you're a Jing Dynasty spy, so you ought to come with me to the inner prison."

Chen Ji, leaning on the doorframe, suggested, "Lord Yunyang, let's be frank with each other. If you were really here to arrest me for the inner prison, why come in person? Sending over a couple of men would've sufficed."

Yun Yang turned to stare straight at Chen Ji, observing his resolute expression, "Since you're so clever, then you must also know that with Doctor Yao not around tonight, I could kill you without even needing a reason. How dare you confront me?"

Chen Ji was candid because... just as Yun Yang had told Zhou Chengyi: when you see the Spy Department, you're already out of choices.

Either collaborate or die.

But Chen Ji had other ideas.

Seeing that Chen Ji was not speaking, Yun Yang slowly said, "Since you're smart, then guess why I've come. If you guess right, it proves you still have value."

Chen Ji spoke, "Everyone says the Spy Department kills before reporting, with imperial sanction, but this power has a precondition: you have to kill the right people."

Yun Yang raised an eyebrow, "Go on."

Chen Ji frowned and analyzed, "There aren't many reasons why Lord Yunyang would come find me in the dead of night. It's either you arrested people but haven't found evidence to carry out a sentence. With Old Master Liu on his deathbed, if you can't find evidence to justify your arrests, you're probably worried the Lord Prime Minister might make you take the fall."

"Very good!" Yun Yang clapped his hands, open and straightforward now, "Jiao Tu followed the clue you provided and investigated twenty-two Xuan Paper Shops within Luocheng City. In the end, he found two shops with paper identical to Zhou Chengyi's Mansion, both backed by the Liu Family business. However, we were unable to find further evidence at the paper shops."

Chen Ji quickly asked, "Have you brushed all the Xuan paper with vinegar?"

"Yes, but no words appeared."

Chen Ji was puzzled, "If there is no evidence, how dare you make arrests?"

Yun Yang scoffed, "The Spy Department has always had the policy of rather killing wrongly than letting a spy go. Releasing a spy could mean a hundred or more soldiers dying on the front lines. Three years ago, during the autumn, grain was transported up north via the Grand Canal. A spy among the troops escorting the grain caused a fire that destroyed two thousand four hundred Shi of grain, enough to feed a thousand soldiers for a month. Do you see how severe the consequences are?"

"But you did not foresee Old Master Liu dying from rage. Without his death, seizing a few younger family members would've been a minor matter, right?"

For the first time, a look of helplessness crossed Yun Yang's face, "Who could have predicted that the old man's life was as frail as paper? Now, with Jiao Tu still caught up with the Liu Family, we must seek out evidence."

Chen Ji asked, "When do we leave?"

Yun Yang was the first to step across the threshold to leave, "Now!"

"Wait a moment."

"Hm?"

Chen Ji didn't move, but earnestly asked, "What's in it for me?"

...

...

Yun Yang stopped and turned, standing under the moonlight on Anxi Street, looking at Chen Ji inside the clinic with a smirk, "You dare to negotiate terms with me?"

Chen Ji didn't let the other's power belittle him, just sincerely said, "Lord Yunyang, you and Jiao Tu are currently in a dilemma, which has nothing to do with me. But since I'm offering help, it's only right to expect some compensation. Think of me as one of the workers at the Caoyun Pier, just pay money for the work done."

Yun Yang laughed, stepped forward, and lightly stabbed a silver needle into Chen Ji's chest, so fine it was barely visible under the moonlight.

In that moment, veins on Chen Ji's neck bulged and he felt such an unbearable pain in his chest, he nearly passed out from it.

Yun Yang's voice turned icy, "The Spy Department does not bargain with anyone."

Chen Ji, gasping against the frame of the Medical Hall's door, insisted, "There's always an exception."

Yun Yang countered, "Why? Do you think you're indispensable to this matter?"

Chen Ji suddenly straightened, clasping the doorframe and looked directly into Yun Yang's eyes, "Yes, I'm indispensable."

The world went silent.

It was as if an immense pressure had descended upon Anxi Street, crushing all sound beneath it.

Chen Ji continued, "If it weren't absolutely necessary, Lord Yunyang wouldn't be seeking me out at such a critical juncture, especially not a nobody like me."

Were there experts at capturing spies within the Spy Department? Certainly.

But Yunyang once said that they had been temporarily brought to Luocheng City, and with Yunyang and Jiao Tu's usual methods, they seemed less like people specialized in catching spies and more like... assassins.

On the day of Zhou Chengyi's capture, neither Yunyang nor Jiao Tu demonstrated any counter-espionage capabilities; rather, their methods of killing were incredibly secretive and decisive.

Now, both had been hastily given a significant task, yet they had messed up enormously.

They needed someone to help with the aftermath... they needed someone clever.

Yunyang's eyes narrowed slightly, "Even if I do need your help this time, aren't you afraid I'll give you trouble afterward? I suggest you consider every word you say to me very carefully; otherwise, the consequences will be more than you can bear."

Chen Ji said, "Lord Yunyang will surely have to deal with many spies in the future, where there are spies, there is merit to be earned. I help you gain merit; why would you trouble me?"

"Ah," Yunyang's eyes brightened.

Of all the things Chen Ji had said, only this genuinely caught his attention!

"You think you can help me earn merit?" Yunyang retorted.

Chen Ji replied, "The alum found in Zhou Chengyi's mansion was discovered by me."

"That credit isn't considerable," Yunyang shook his head.

Chen Ji also shook his head, "No, the merit I'm referring to isn't about Zhou Chengyi; it's that you... no, Lord Yunyang, you cracked the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department's method of writing secret messages. The Spy Department had missed this method in their previous spy captures and home searches, overlooking a lot of information. Now, if you use this method to re-examine, perhaps you will find unexpected surprises in their homes."

Light burgeoned in Yunyang's eyes, "Right! This time I'll let the Prime Minister know that I and Jiao Tu..."

He glanced at Chen Ji, abruptly halting his words.

After a moment of consideration, Yunyang asked, "What kind of benefit do you want?"

Chen Ji stated, "Power, I want an official position in the Spy Department."

Yunyang responded irritably, "Do you think I'm the Prime Minister? The Spy Department, under the control of the Ritual Supervision, holds immense authority and operates with the utmost secrecy. To join, one must undergo examination by the Criminal Justice Department and report three generations to the Prime Minister; no one else has the authority to decide!"

Chen Ji declared, "Then I want money."

He hadn't really planned on demanding power, but one must never reveal their true intentions too soon; best to start with an outrageous demand and negotiate from there.

Relieved that Chen Ji wasn't after an official position, Yunyang asked, "How much money do you want?"

"Two thousand taels of silver."

"What?!"

Chen Ji inquired, "Can't give it?"

Yunyang scratched his head, "Do you know I only earn thirty-six taels of silver a year, and yet you're asking for two thousand right off the bat?! If you keep being so unreasonable, just watch if I don't stick a needle in you and be done with it!"

"The Spy Department doesn't just live off salaries, does it?" Chen Ji didn't believe.

After reflecting for a moment and suppressing his desire for "merit," Yunyang asserted doubtlessly, "For every piece of merit you earn for me, you'll receive fifty taels of silver."

"Only fifty taels from someone as important as Lord Yunyang?"

"Only fifty taels? Fifty taels are enough for you to buy twenty maidservants in the West Market! There's no time today; I don't know how much longer Jiao Tu can hold off. If you continue to delay, I will kill you. One last time I'm asking you, fifty taels, do you want it or not?"

"I'll take it!"

Yunyang turned and walked away, "There are three 'hours' left until dawn, and you also have only three 'hours.'"

"Lord Yunyang, where do you plan to find evidence now?"

"I'm taking you to the Xuan Paper Shop; perhaps you'll find something there!"

Chen Ji shook his head in refusal, "Not the Xuan Paper Shop; we're going to Zhou Chengyi's mansion."

Yunyang frowned, "Didn't you already extract the alum last time? What else is there?"

Chen Ji remained silent.

Yunyang instantly realized, "Wait, you must have discovered other clues at Zhou Chengyi's mansion last time but kept them hidden from me and Jiao Tu!"

"I was merely keeping some cards close to my chest for self-preservation," Chen Ji, never one to surrender without a fight, would even bite a chunk out of his enemy's neck while being stabbed.

"Hiss!" Yunyang took in a cold breath, "I'm beginning to think more and more that you're a Jing Dynasty spy. What should I do?"

"Would a Jing Dynasty spy help you catch spies?"

Yunyang put two fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply; a magnificent horse bolted out from around the corner of Anxi Street.

He mounted the horse, pulling Chen Ji to sit behind him, "Hold on tight!"

Wrapped hooves thudded dully against the bluestone pavement, as they hurtled into the thin mist of the early morning.

No one noticed that a tiny black cat had been hiding in the shadows on the eaves of the houses that lined the street.

As they departed, the cat leaped nimbly across the gray tiles, quietly shadowing them.