In the first place at the banquet, the Crown Prince and Princess Baili sat behind the desk, just listening to everyone chatting without interrupting. The two of them were whispering, not knowing what they were talking about.

Chen Ji looked at the faces of the people in the literary gathering and felt a little out of place. He didn't know when Concubine Jing was going to talk to him about something.

At this time, Chunhua came to him quietly, bent down and whispered: "My wife, please come over and talk."

Chen Ji looked at the scene of the cultural gathering and breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that Concubine Yun did not come to attend the cultural gathering.

Now, in front of Concubine Jing, he is from the Secret Intelligence Department, and in front of Concubine Yun, he is from the Military Intelligence Department of Jing Dynasty. He feels as nervous as walking on a tightrope ten thousand meters above the ground.

He got up and followed Chunhua to a pavilion. He looked inside through the bamboo curtain and could only see the blurry figure of Concubine Jing.

The spring blossoms receded, leaving only Chen Ji and Jing Fei inside and outside the pavilion, separated by a curtain.

Concubine Jing didn't speak for a long time, and Chen Ji just stood there, as if they were both here to attend the cultural gathering.

After an unknown amount of time, Concubine Jing asked calmly: "Everyone said that Liu Shiyu was forced to death by the Secret Service. Why do you say that he was silenced and killed?"

Chen Ji slowly said: "I inspected the body. Someone colluded with the inner prison guards to pretend that he hanged himself, but he was actually strangled to death. The Secret Service has files on this matter."

Concubine Jing frowned: "How can I check the files of the Secret Service? How do I know if you are fooling me?"

Chen Ji stood outside the pavilion, thought for a moment and said: "You actually know that what I said is the truth. Since the Liu family can give you that cup, they will naturally not begrudge Liu Shiyu's life. I am also just a spy. I'm just a small person doing things, Concubine Jing, you shouldn't come after me for your vengeance."

Concubine Jing said solemnly: "Don't think that you can get away with it. Someone told me that if it weren't for you, the Secret Service would not be able to find anything to do with Liu Shiyu! Since you asked Chunhua to bring me a message, then Tell me how to take revenge, or you will die too!"

Chen Ji looked at the literati in front of him. While others talked about romance and political ideals, he was talking about life and death in another world: "Madam, who is in charge of the Liu family in Luo City now? Is it Liu Mingming?"

Hearing this name, Concubine Jing's tone became obviously resentful: "That's him!"

There was a hint of madness in Concubine Jing's suppressed tone. First she lost her son, and the next day she lost her close nephew. The successive griefs had brought her to the edge of losing control.

Chen Ji praised Liu Mingming's good acting skills in his heart. On the night when the opponent surrounded Zhou's house, he wore sackcloth and mourning, his eyes were red and his expression was tired. No matter how he looked, he looked like a dutiful son: "How do you want to take revenge?"

"I want him to die badly!"

Chen Ji breathed a sigh of relief, and his hatred had been transferred to Liu Mingming: "When did he give you the cup?"

"Spring begins!"

Chen Ji asked again: "At that time, it must have been something he asked you to do, but you didn't agree, so he wanted to give you this cup as revenge. I want to ask, what exactly did he ask you to do at that time? "

"Why are you asking these questions?"

Chen Ji responded: "I don't know what he is going to do, how can I retaliate against him?"

Concubine Jing pondered for a moment: "At that time, one of the prince's old subordinates was promoted to admiral and commanded two thousand troops to garrison in Luo City as a supervisor. Liu Mingming asked me to help him contact this old subordinate in the name of the prince..."

Chen Ji was startled for a moment.

Zhou Chengyi arranged the thin horse Cuihuan to get close to the craftsman supervisor, and Liu Mingming entrusted Concubine Jing with the purpose of getting close to the leading military commander who was stationed at the craftsman supervisor.

Why is the craftsman supervisor so important and requires the Military Intelligence Department and the Liu family to take such pains? And why does the craftsman supervisor of the Ning Dynasty need two thousand elite troops to be stationed?!

etc.

Some scholars have just said that if the Jing Dynasty cavalry approaches Chongli Pass, the Ning Dynasty defenders can use artillery and firearms to repel the opponent.

Chen Ji's mind connected all the clues like a ray of light: Jing Chao's Military Intelligence Department wanted Ning Chao's secret recipe for making firearms!

This is the sincerity that the head of the Military Intelligence Department demands from the Liu family!

And the Liu family has cooperated with Concubine Yun and obtained the firearm. The cup is not just about killing the child...

Concubine Yun's condition for cooperation is probably that the Liu family will kill the disobedient Concubine Jing and help her become the official concubine as a certificate of submission.

Otherwise, why would Concubine Yun side with the Liu family?

…

…

While he was thinking about it, Chen Ji heard someone at the banquet ask loudly: "Brother Zong, the Chen family has two outstanding men. Both of them are expected to win Jieyuan in this year's provincial examination. But a while ago, I heard that you have a younger brother. Why?"

I’ve never seen it before.”

"No, I remember my father once asked Uncle Chen how many children he had in his family, and he said two sons and one daughter!"

Chen Ji raised his eyes and saw that his two direct brothers were like dragons and phoenixes among men. They were the focus of all the literati, and their family affairs naturally attracted attention.

The person who first asked about this was confused and said, "Brother Zong, did I hear wrongly?"

Chen Wenxiao, who was standing by, said, "Our younger brother has bad conduct, so my father just thinks that there is no such thing as him in the Chen family."

The fat man with big ears became interested: "What do you mean, is there something hidden?"

Chen Wenzong glared at Chen Wenxiao: "This is a family scandal, don't mention it again."

Chen Wenxiao didn't care about that, and said to himself: "My younger brother Chen Ji has been addicted to the place of fireworks since he was a child, and he is also a frequent visitor to the gambling house in Hongyi Alley. Three years ago, my father planned to let him go to Donglin Academy as well.

I am a student, but I didn’t expect that the gambling house would use an IOU to collect gambling debts, which amounted to six hundred taels!”

"What?"

"Six hundred taels!"

Chen Wenzong frowned and looked at Chen Wenxiao: "Don't say any more. It will stain the lintel of your own family and only add to the laughter of others!"

Chen Wenxiao picked up the wine glass carelessly and took a sip of wine: "That boy is full of misdeeds, how can he hide it? Brother, don't deceive yourself."

He looked at everyone: "After my father learned about this, he ordered the housekeeper to take his servants to investigate. It turned out that he not only owed gambling debts to that one, but there were six gambling houses in Hongyi Lane. He owed money to every family.

debt."

"Then what?"

"Then? My father was about to kill him, but my mother kindly stopped him and said she would find him a job to make a living. My mother first asked him to work as a clerk in a drugstore. Later, he felt that working as a clerk in a drugstore was too tiring, so she decided to

I begged my mother to donate some money to him and sent him to the Imperial Medical College as an apprentice. Now I don’t know where he is."

During the dinner, someone said with emotion: "Tsk, tsk, it's really unfortunate for our family to have a gambler."

However, there was a bang and She Dengke lifted the table and stood up: "Fart, Chen Ji is not that kind of person. He is not a gambler, nor is he lazy!"

The food on the table was scattered all over the floor, and the wine was also poured on the scholar at the front table.

Everyone looked at She Dengke, and Chen Wenxiao looked at the Crown Prince in confusion: "Prince, who is this?"

The prince was also a little confused, this was not the person he invited.

She Dengke introduced himself: "I am She Dengke, an apprentice at the Imperial Medical College. I have been classmates with Chen Ji for two years. He is definitely not the kind of person you said!"

Chen Wenxiao narrowed his eyes: "Chen Ji is my younger brother, of course I know him better."

She Dengke's face turned red with anger: "You know..."

"Passed the imperial examination? Passed the imperial examination, won the top prize? Hahaha!" Suddenly someone laughed: "With such a lofty name, why didn't you take part in the imperial examination, but became an apprentice in a medical school?"

"How come you have the nerve to come to a cultural gathering like this?"

Liu Quxing couldn't stand listening anymore, and immediately stood up and said angrily: "What does wearing clothes have to do with Wenhui? We have known Chen Ji for two years, and he is definitely not the kind of person you say."

"Hey, look at him, he's dressed decently, but I don't think Yingzi's corrugated hat is made by Li Ji, but looks like it was copied by a small workshop."

Liu Quxing was at a loss for words. He had indeed bought the imitation at a cheap price.

However, at this moment, Princess Baili stood up and asked loudly: "Is this how Mr. Academy taught you to judge people by their appearance? What does what he wears and does have anything to do with what he said? You probably haven't seen it.

I haven't seen that so-called trace before, but these two people are willing to help talk to each other to save their reputation. In my opinion, they shouldn't be too bad."

The prince burst out laughing: "What Bai Li said makes sense. Let me ask you, if someone is falsely accusing you, is there anyone who will defend you? Do you have such a friend beside you?"

After saying that, the prince actually raised his glass to She Dengke and Liu Quxing from a distance: "I admire you, drink up!"
Chapter completed!