The tenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The Heavenly Branch of the Military Intelligence Department wishes everyone a Happy New Year.

In the noodle shop, a shrill voice from beneath the Treasure Monkey mask said, "A mouse giving New Year's greetings to a cat, defying the heavens!" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

A hoarse voice said, "You're courting death!"

The woman laughed mockingly, "They first stole your firearms and then wish you a Happy New Year. What can you do about it? If you have the ability, catch them first instead of boasting here."

Chen Ji quietly looked down at the newspaper in his hands, searching for any other information.

The Earthly Branches of the Military Intelligence Department—Si Caogui, Si Caoxin, Si Caoding—were all especially low-key and restrained, but the Heavenly Branch was completely different in nature.

Bai Long looked at Chen Ji: "What does Lord Binghu think?"

Chen Ji replied without revealing his emotions, "What does Lord Bai Long think?"

A light laugh came from beneath Bai Long's mask: "It must be that the chief of the Military Intelligence Department has come to the Imperial Capital. Either this person is highly conceited and wants to provoke our Spy Department, or they have other motives, trying to lead us to do something... Whether it's the former or the latter, none of them plan to let us have a good New Year. I'm afraid I won't even have time to buy New Year goods."

Chen Ji smiled and set down the newspaper in his hand: "Hearing Lord Bai Long talk about buying New Year goods, it feels a bit strange. I thought you were someone who had transcended worldly desires. Imagining that Lord Bai Long also gets up in the morning to make dumplings on New Year's Day, it's even stranger."

A woman's voice from beneath the Treasure Monkey mask exclaimed, "Indeed..."

Chen Ji suddenly said nonchalantly, "Is Lord Bai Long married? If you're too lazy to make dumplings alone, I could make some and send them to your house."

A shrill voice beneath the Treasure Monkey mask burst into laughter: "Him, married? He's so fierce, what woman would dare marry him, hahaha..."

Bai Long's sharp gaze swept over, and the laughter from Treasure Monkey gradually got smaller.

Treasure Monkey cleared his throat twice: "My lord, I deserve to die."

Bai Long's gaze returned, and he tapped his finger on the table: "Lord Binghu still hasn't answered me."

Chen Ji restrained his smile and said seriously, "How many firearms did the Military Intelligence Department steal this time?"

Bai Long replied, "Seventy catties of gunpowder were stolen, neither too much nor too little."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "How was it stolen? As far as I know, the firearms of our dynasty have always been escorted by the Divine Machine Camp elite, and those who escort them must be either family members of officials in the Imperial Capital or people whose ancestors have been clean for three generations. During transport, a Seeking Dao Realm Official must accompany them, bringing their own dry food and water pouches, and never stopping at relay stations."

The woman's voice from beneath the Treasure Monkey mask explained, "There's a traitor within. This time, the Divine Machine Camp just crossed Changping and set up camp when several soldiers were drugged at night. It seems there was something wrong with the provisions and water. Afterwards, Zhang Qian, who was responsible for the provisions and water pouches, disappeared. Only seventy catties of gunpowder out of three thousand catties were missing, indicating he acted alone."

A hoarse voice growled, "The Divine Machine Camp was negligent. Otherwise, how could Jing Dynasty traitors have exploited the opportunity? Confiscate all their property and exile them to set an example!"

Chen Ji frowned: "Does Zhang Qian have parents, brothers, or a wife and family in the Imperial Capital?"

Bai Long kept his hands inside his sleeves: "Both parents are present and have been imprisoned in the inner prison."

Chen Ji looked at Bai Long's dragon pattern mask: "Lord Bai Long is proficient in the law; if it is indeed Zhang Qian's doing, according to our Daning Law, how should his parents be punished?"

Chen Ji and Bai Long stared at each other, neither speaking further.

Treasure Monkey looked at Chen Ji and then at Bai Long, feeling the atmosphere was eerie and even dared not breathe loudly. All the voices beneath the mask fell silent.

After a moment, Bai Long calmly said, "According to our Daning Law, in cases of treason, regardless of rank, all are executed. Wives, concubines, and children are given to the households of meritorious ministers as slaves. Property is confiscated by the government. Parents, grandparents, and siblings, regardless of different or similar registration, are exiled three thousand miles... Why is Lord Binghu concerned about the relatives of the criminals, or rather, what does Lord Binghu really want to ask?"

Treasure Monkey shrank his neck, moved his chair further away, and waved at the shopkeeper and assistants of the noodle shop: "What are you looking at? Get busy with your work."

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time.

After a long while, he speculated, "It might not be Zhang Qian. According to what you said, Zhang Qian was not indifferent to his parents. If he planned to commit the serious crime of treason, he would have definitely arranged for his parents in advance."

Bai Long pondered, "You mean someone disguised themselves as Zhang Qian?"

Chen Ji did not immediately answer.

The officer from the Military Intelligence Department's Colorful Face Path had been hiding in the Imperial Capital, helping many people change their identities, even assisting Lin Chaoqing in escaping capture. With this official around, no face is reliable.

Wait.

Aunt Ping previously said that Heavenly Branch and Earthly Branch cannot meet. This Executive Officer helped Manager Yuan and Lin Chaoqing, clearly being part of Earthly Branch, yet now he's working for Heavenly Branch? It shows that Heavenly Branch and Earthly Branch have long violated the rules of the Military Intelligence Department, maintaining secret communications.

No wonder when I pretended to be part of Heavenly Branch to lure Lin Chaoqing, they immediately wanted to escape.

But it's strange.

Fake Zhang Qian can deceive his close colleagues, surely like Manager Yuan, completely transforming his voice and build.

According to Aunt Ping, to achieve this level requires using the blood of one's loved one entirely... Where does this Executive Officer have so many loved ones? Can one person have four or five loved ones?

Or perhaps, Aunt Ping's information is incorrect?

Chen Ji looked up at Bai Long: "Where has Zhang Qian been recently?"

Bai Long seemed to have anticipated: "This group of Divine Machine Camp elites returned from Chongli Pass and had a seven-day leave upon returning to the Imperial Capital. After leave, Zhang Qian did not return home immediately but stayed overnight at Eight Great Hutongs, returning to see his parents the next day. During his visit home, he knew he couldn't celebrate New Year's Day in the Capital, so he visited relatives in advance and bought clothes for his parents."

"On the fifth day, he deceived his parents that his leave was over, left fifteen taels of silver, and left home early. First, he met colleagues and went to the baths in the Eastern city until evening, then went to the Outer City to watch opera, staying overnight at a friend's home. On the sixth day, he attended a gathering, and at night went again to the Eight Great Hutongs, not returning until the morning of the eighth day to report to work."

Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Wait, which house in Eight Great Hutongs did he go to?"

The sharp voice under the Treasure Monkey mask answered: "Colleagues from the Divine Machine Camp said he and Miss Huanxiu from Zuixiang Building in Rouge Alley are old acquaintances, Jiao Tu and Yun Yang have just rushed to Eight Great Hutongs for inquiries."

At that moment, hoofbeats sounded outside Shibei Alley, and Chen Ji looked out the window to see Jiao Tu and Yun Yang dismounting and striding toward the noodle shop.

Standing by the table, Yun Yang clasped his hands and said: "Lord Bai Long, Zuixiang Building reported they haven't seen Zhang Qian, he must have gone elsewhere. I've dispatched people to check where he went."

Chen Ji furrowed his brow; Zhang Qian went to Eight Great Hutongs on both the first and last days of his leave, could it be the Executive Officer of the Colorful Face Path is hiding in Eight Great Hutongs?

But Zhang Qian only met the other twice, can he truly become a loved one?

Chen Ji raised his head and asked: "Are there any means an Executive Officer can use in this world to make others fall in love with them?"

Treasure Monkey showed interest and leaned closer, the sharp voice under the mask said: "In the South Xiangzhou and Southwest Yunzhou, there are Gu Masters capable of doing this. Xiangzhou has the Red Heart Gu, where female Gu Masters nurture it for a year with their heart's blood; after a man consumes it, he becomes utterly devoted to the woman, never changing his mind. Yunzhou has the Unity Gu, where blood is shared by loving couples to create mutual telepathy, but if taken by non-loving individuals, both will die simultaneously. This is the second most poisonous thing worldwide, only surpassed by the Dao Court's 'Three Ministries.'

Jiao Tu laughed sweetly aside: "This Unity Gu should be chained as the number one poison alongside the Three Ministries. I've heard that in Yunzhou, out of a hundred people who take it, ninety-nine die, each swearing beforehand, and after taking it, they die as horribly as possible. As for true love, there's mostly heartless and unfaithful sorts."

Chen Ji pondered whether the Executive Officer on the Colorful Face Path learned the method from Gu Masters to cultivate the Red Heart Gu, making someone fall in love with them and then killing the person to exchange for the blood needed for the Colorful Face Path?

No, even with this method, it couldn't make Zhang Qian love the other party, still not counting as a "loved one."

This needs another opportunity to ask Aunt Ping.

At this moment, Bai Long spoke: "First, find Zhang Qian, whether alive or dead, he must be discovered."

Jiao Tu, Yun Yang, and Treasure Monkey simultaneously bowed: "Yes."

Bai Long looked at Chen Ji: "Lord Binghu as one of the Top Three must dedicate himself. If this person escapes with stolen firearms, that's one thing, but if they secretly return to the Imperial Capital, the consequences could be dire."

Chen Ji was perplexed: "How so?"

Jiao Tu explained from the side: "As New Year's Day approaches, officials often host banquets; if firearms are used elsewhere, that's one thing, but if suddenly it explodes, killing several ministers or cabinet members, our Spy Department would bear responsibility. Additionally, after New Year's Day is the Grand Meeting, His Majesty is to leave the palace for the Imperial Ancestral Temple on the first day and on the fifteenth cross Zhengyang Gate Street to the Mountain and River Altar. If seventy pounds of gunpowder are hidden in the city, it might cause catastrophe."

Chen Ji thought for a moment: "Why wouldn't he escape Ning Dynasty with the firearms, given Jing Dynasty always desires them?"

Bai Long shook his head: "Jing Dynasty wants the formula, the blueprints, and the most crucial process; seventy pounds of firearms are of no significant use once in their hands."

Chen Ji lowered his head in contemplation.

He knew what Bai Long was referring to in that crucial process: purification.

The difference between firearms and fireworks, the most crucial part is purifying the nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur, especially the nitrate. Raw nitrate can only make fireworks, while purified can make firearms.

Chen Ji looked at Bai Long: "Is Lord Bai Long hoping I can help find the Chief of the Military Intelligence Department? Numerous colleagues in the Imperial Capital's Spy Department can't find them, I'm afraid I might not do much either."

Bai Long shook his head: "The Chief of Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department has finally appeared; he might emulate Lu Jin, assassinating ministers to gain fame. I need you to stay by Lord Zhang Zhuo, keeping him safe."