Chapter 6: The Golden Spy

  I smiled and waved my hand: 'Chi Ji, for Xia Gongzi to take a seat, you go down first. Bring some tea and snacks, I'm sure Xia Gongzi is already hungry.'

  Chi Chi turned around and went out, soon after, the tea was served, and he retreated. Xia Jinyi had a seat, and he hastily devoured his food. Before long, he let out a satisfied belch, and after eating his fill, he almost collapsed onto the chair, looking at me and saying: "Please instruct me, sir."

  I calmly said: 'Do you know who I am?'

  Xia Jin Yi said with a smile: "I already know that you are the Sima of the Tian Ce Shuai Fu, and I've also heard your name from my master. They say you're Jiang Zhe, the one who wrote a poem that cost the King of Shu his life."

  I smiled and said: 'You also forgot to mention that I am a man from Southern Chu, who was relieved of his official duties by the ruler, and now has changed his allegiance and joined King Yong.'

  Xia Jinyi smiled and said, "What's the big deal? Since Nan Chu looks down on you, I've heard that King Yong still values talents highly. It's not wrong for you to join King Yong either."

  I said calmly: 'Alright, I should have asked about your background, but thinking about it, there's no need. However, if you have any particular enemies or experiences that you don't mention, and something unexpected happens in the future, don't blame me for not warning you.'

  Xia Jinyi thought for a moment and said, "I, a humble commoner, have nothing special to report. I am not good at writing or martial arts, so I don't know what I can do for you, sir."

  I said calmly: 'It's simple, you still go to rely on the prince, but I want you to become the prince's confidant.'

  Xia Jin Yi was shocked and said: "Sir, I am a small person, how can I possibly get close to the prince?"

  I didn't say a word, picked up a piece of paper with dense small characters written on it and handed it to Xia Jinyi. After reading it, Xia Jinyi's expression changed unpredictably and said: 'Sir, is that all?'

  I smiled and said, "Yes, I don't want you to spy on secrets or contact us. Just let you gain the prince's favor according to my plan. To be honest, with your temperament, although you can't become a capable assistant, it's still enough to be a lucky minister. I've arranged for you to get the conditions needed to win the prince's favor. Next, it depends on your adaptability. You just need to grasp one principle: let the prince indulge himself. When the time is right, say a few words of discord, but remember that only involves the King of Qi. Apart from that, everything else must be done according to the prince's orders. Even if he asks you to do something bad, you have to do it. Even if you hear some earth-shattering secret, even if they are about to harm Prince Yong, you don't need to pay attention. Do you understand? Today is our only meeting, and in the future, even if we meet again, I won't say anything about tonight's events."

  Although Xia Jin Yi didn't understand my intention, he nodded and said: 'I understand, sir. You let me gain the prince's favor, other things I will decide on my own. Actually, as long as I try to please the prince, accompany him in eating, drinking and having fun, that's all.'

  I nodded and said, "Not bad, you can tell your master about the intelligence of the Jinxiu gang. Through this matter, at least you can enter the prince's mansion and gain his favor. After that, it's up to your cleverness. The three medicinal prescriptions I gave you are a top-grade formula that can help you win the prince's heart. The effects of the three prescriptions are slightly different, so use them one by one. Just say you improved them yourself. Since you used the bewitching fragrance, you should have some knowledge about it. The prince wouldn't dare let the imperial physician do such a thing, so your favor with him shouldn't be a problem."

  Xia Jin said with a smile: "To be honest, sir, although I have never committed the evil act of picking flowers, I do know a thing or two about aphrodisiacs. The prescription you provided, I can understand it too. It's actually an excellent prescription that not only enhances pleasure but also doesn't harm the body. As long as it's not overused, this prescription is truly top-notch."

  I smiled and said: "Good, now I'm even more at ease. Do you have any other questions? After today, there won't be another chance to ask."

  Xia Jin hesitated and asked: 'Sir, are you so sure that I won't betray you?'

  I smiled faintly and said, "You sold out. What did you sell me for? I gave you intelligence to help you achieve merit, and the prescription to gain the prince's favor. I didn't ask for anything in return. As for accompanying the prince to play, if the prince is wise, how would you have a chance to show off your skills? Driving a wedge between Prince Qi and the prince, even if the prince knew I told you to do this, what could he do? Would he completely trust Prince Qi? So, if you're smart, just follow my words. You can gain favor and avoid inviting disaster. Otherwise, Xiao Shunzi..."

  Xiao Shunzi casually took out a piece of silver from his bosom and gently ground it into powder in the palm of his hand. Xia Jinyi swallowed a mouthful of saliva and looked at me.

  I said, "However, I really can't fully trust you either. How about this: you write a letter of guarantee saying that you are an undercover agent sent by the Yong Wang Fu, and give it to me for safekeeping? If your mouth isn't tight, I'll let the Crown Prince see your letter, and at that time, not only will the Yong Wang Fu want to kill you, but even the Crown Prince won't spare you. Even as a mere attendant, killing you would be easy as turning my hand over. You just need to forget about tonight's events, take the meeting gift and medicine formula I gave you, and you can easily win over the Crown Prince and get the wealth and glory you want. However, remember that if you're really not capable, and within two months you still can't gain the Crown Prince's favor, then sorry, before I replace you, I'll have to kill you first."

  Xia Jin Yi bowed down and said, "I absolutely dare not betray the trust of a superior. Please be at ease, sir. I am merely trying to curry favor with the Crown Prince, nothing more. There will be no guilt on my part."

  I smiled and said, "Alright, you can write the letter now. I'm looking forward to seeing your good show. Remember, once things are done, you won't be able to avoid being implicated. But don't worry, I'll arrange a way out for you."

  Xia Jinyi lowered his head and said, "I understand." He then went to the table and wrote a confession. Xia Jinyi knew that if he didn't write it, he would probably be killed immediately. After he finished writing, I said, "Bring someone in."

  It was Chi Jue who came in, and I said calmly: "You go back to the guest house to rest first. Didn't you agree with your senior brother to drink at Jiangnan Spring tomorrow? At that time, you can say that you discovered the whereabouts of the remnants of Shu Guo's Jinxiu Alliance, and then the guards of the Yongwang Mansion will follow my orders to capture you and send you to Guanzhong Lian. However, I think your senior brother will save you."

  Xia Jin Yi's heart skipped a beat again, and he helplessly said: "Young Master has made such detailed arrangements, this humble one will definitely not make any mistakes."

  I waved my hand and said, "Alright, you have to go back as you were, I won't see you off." Xia Jinyi was stunned on the spot, opened his mouth wanting to say something, but changed his mind and dejectedly followed Chi Ji out.

  After seeing Xia Jin Yi off, Xiao Shunzi calmly asked: 'Young Master, should I put the letter away?'

  I smiled slightly and casually lit the letter with the silver lamp. Xiaoshunzi looked at me strangely, I said calmly: "This letter is useless, even if it was given to the prince, it would only confirm our crime in the Yongwangfu. If Xiaying Yu is clever, he won't betray us, and if he's really that foolish, we won't suffer any loss either. But I think, he won't betray us." Looking at the lamp light, I smiled again, such a cheap thing, if Xiaying Yu betrays us, then he would be the biggest fool in the world.

  Xia Jinyi was still tapped on the acupuncture points and put into a box, returning to his room at the inn in the early hours of the morning. On the way, Xia Jinyi repeatedly thought about how he should act. He wasn't a person who kept promises, but thinking about it, the other party had only given him the opportunity and means to gain the prince's favor. His reputation was bad, his martial arts skills were average, and without these things, he feared that he would never be able to achieve wealth and glory in his lifetime. Even if he revealed everything, what could he do? Now, who didn't know that Prince Yong was at the height of his power? As a small figure, how could he shake Prince Yong? Thinking of Chi Ji's tactics, even a small follower had such ruthlessness, so it was imaginable what their master's tactics would be like. His best course of action was to follow their words and definitely gain the prince's favor within two months.

  He returned to his own bed, and after the meridian had passed, Xia Jinyi sat up, slowly thinking about how to speak and act. It wasn't until after noon that he casually walked out of the inn and came again to Jiangnan Spring. The shop assistants saw that although his face hadn't changed much, his eyes were very strange. Who would have let him offend Guan Zhonglian yesterday, yet also drink with people from the Crown Prince's residence?

  As he walked into the elegantly decorated flower hall, Xia Jinyi immediately spotted a group of people in brocade clothes sitting together chatting and laughing. He took a few steps forward and bowed deeply to a middle-aged man with a square face sitting at the head seat: "Big Brother Master, Little Brother is late, please forgive me."

  The middle-aged man's name was Zhang Jinxiong, thirty-seven years old this year. He had a dignified appearance and wore elegant clothes from head to toe, but they were also ordinary. The only exception was his extremely wide sleeves. He was the twenty-seventh generation of the Qingtong Sect's great disciples, with exceptional martial arts skills that stood out from the crowd. He had already become the most likely candidate to succeed as the next leader of the sect. Originally, he devoted himself to practicing martial arts without any distractions, never leaving the mountain unless it was to carry out tasks assigned by his master. However, two years ago, an envoy from the Fengyi Sect came to Qingtong and had a long conversation with Zhang Jinxiong, after which he was sent to Chang'an as a fourth-grade sword-bearing guard. Zhang Jinxiong was straightforward and serious in his work, never overstepping his bounds, so he quickly gained the trust of the crown prince and became the head of the guards at the crown prince's residence. He usually didn't get involved in politics and spent most of his time practicing martial arts or drinking with a few close colleagues. Although he was strict and cold, he earned the respect of his subordinates due to his generosity and fairness. Strictly speaking, he wasn't the crown prince's confidant, as many of the crown prince's private matters were handled by someone else - Vice Head Xu Xing.

  He saw Xia Jinyi, a hint of a smile on his face, and said lightly: 'You're here, come sit down, these people are all my subordinates, in the future when you enter the mansion, you'll have to ask them to take care of you.'

  Xia Jinyi stepped forward and saluted, saying: "Several big brothers, I'm not good at writing or martial arts, but fortunately I have some cleverness. If you don't mind, you can give me some errands to run."

  A thin, middle-aged man smiled and said: "I know, I've heard Director Zhang say before that you're good at everything except practicing martial arts. If it weren't for your sense of loyalty and knowing when to advance or retreat, Director Zhang wouldn't even let you call him 'older brother'."

  Xia Jin Yi's face didn't flush as he said, "Of course it was Big Brother who spared me. Back then, I wasn't studying well and was expelled from the sect. If Big Brother hadn't pleaded for me, my martial arts would have been crippled long ago. Come, little brother will toast Big Brother and the few elder brothers, please take care of little brother in the future, little brother absolutely won't dare to cause any more trouble."

  Several people laughed and drank the wine, Zhang Jinyong was naturally satisfied with his younger brother's words and deeds, and several guards didn't mind this young man who wouldn't pose a threat to themselves. Next, well-trained servants brought up exquisite small dishes. A guard picked up his chopsticks and smiled, "The famous dish of Southern Chu is indeed unique in flavor, but the name is also quite strange. Look at this dish, it's delicious, but it's called 'Beauty's Liver'." Xia Jinyi smiled and said: "This dish is made with duck liver, paired with chicken breast, winter bamboo shoots, and winter mushrooms, stir-fried with duck oil. This name has a story behind it. It's said that a famous scholar in Southern Chu once hosted a banquet at the Autumn Water Tower, one of the most famous restaurants in the area. Who knew that the chef had forgotten to add one ingredient? If they were short one dish, wouldn't that ruin their reputation? The chef looked around and was attracted by the pale pink color of the duck liver, so he paired it with chicken breast and stir-fried it with duck oil. As a result, the guests praised it highly and asked for its name. The servant who brought the dish saw that it was white and shiny, fresh and tender, and casually said 'Beauty's Liver'. And that's how this dish got its name. In fact, Southern Chu also has another famous dish called 'Xi Shi's Tongue'."

  Several guards exclaimed: 'Xishi's tongue.'

  Xia Jin Yi smiled and said: "Actually, it's just the tongue of a razor clam. It's said to be tender and delicious, one of the best flavors in the world. However, it can only be easily found by the sea."

  One of the guards laughed and said: "Brother Xia is indeed knowledgeable and has a wide range of experiences, if there's an opportunity, he should try this Western-style tongue."

  Xia Jin suddenly changed his mind and said, "Actually, I like Sichuan cuisine the most. I heard that there are many good Sichuan restaurants in Chang'an, such as Hongyun Pavilion in the city of Chang'an and Xizi Building in Liren City, which should have great Sichuan dishes."

  One of the guards sneered, "Brother Xia said he was familiar with Chang'an, but now he's exposed. I'm a local tyrant in Chang'an, and I know all about the wine houses and restaurants. The Red Cloud Pavilion is indeed a Sichuan restaurant, and their Taibai duck is unparalleled in the world. The West Chamber is one of the best among the Qin Lou Chu halls, and I'm familiar with it. The beauties inside are all charming and moving, including many women from South Chu. It's said that they were secretly brought over from South Chu. Although the food and wine are not bad, they don't have any special features. I heard that the boss is also a native of Yong, so how can he serve excellent Sichuan cuisine?"

  "Hey, don't you know? I've traveled all over the world, and that Old He of the Western Chamber is someone I'm familiar with. He's He Tieshan from the Qingcheng Sect, and his swordsmanship is quite good! Haha, Big Brother, you know that I later became a disciple of a Taoist priest from the Tiandu Pavilion, so I often sell some medicinal pills and powders. It just so happens that I recognized Old He, and it was five or six years ago when he was still the steward of that prince in Shu Kingdom. Who would have thought that he'd become such a big boss now? But to be honest, we people in the Jianghu world need to make money, and there are few people like him who do this kind of...ahem...'forcing virtue' business."

  Including Zhang Jinxiong, all the guards changed their faces, and Zhang Jinxiong asked in a low voice: 'Are you sure you didn't mistake him for someone else?'

  Xia Jin Yi smiled and said: "How is that possible, Master Brother you know my skills, when I first came to Chang'an, in Guanzhong Lian Anshen, one time went out for a stroll, at the gate of Xizi Pavilion saw He Laoban once, but that place was extravagant, I was really embarrassed by my limited funds, so I didn't go in."

  Looking at Zhang Jinyong's pale face, Xia Jinyi was very amused in his heart. This statement is 70% true and 30% false. He had met Mr. He before, and he had also been to Shu. Even the fact that he sold medicine was true. However, Mr. He had never bought his medicine, and he didn't know that this Mr. He was actually a master of Qingcheng Sect and the steward of King Wu of Shu. He only knew some information from the materials provided by Jiang Gong of Yongwangfu.

  The atmosphere in the house didn't feel right, Xia Jinyi didn't wait for his master brother to ask questions, and immediately called out to bring more wine and dishes. Just as a pot of fine wine was brought up, Zhang Jinxiong was about to continue questioning when suddenly a cold and stern voice came from outside: 'Xia Jinyi, come out quickly and accept your punishment, I will spare your life.'

  Xia Jinyi's face turned pale with fright, and he looked at Zhang Jinyong. Zhang Jinyong glanced at him and shouted: "Who is making a disturbance outside? I am the fourth-grade sword-bearing guard, Zhang Jinyong, the commander of the Crown Prince's escort!"

  Outside the door, a surprised cry was heard, followed by someone shouting loudly: "This is Hu Wei, the fourth-grade sword-bearing guard and deputy general manager of the Yong Wang Fu, who has come to arrest the wanted criminal Xia Jin-yi, also known as the Wind Liu Lang Zi, for offending the Tian Ce Shuai Fu's Sima Jiang Da Ren. Lord Zhang, why are you here?"

  Zhang Jinxiong glared at Xia Jinyi, who turned pale and bowed repeatedly. Zhang Jinxiong said coldly: "Lord Hu, please come in and talk."

  The door opened and a majestic, cold-faced man walked in. He was dressed in brocade official robes and didn't even glance at Xia Jinyi as he stepped forward to pay his respects to Zhang Jinyong, saying: "Lord Zhang, this humble official has been ordered to come and arrest the evil culprit, please make it convenient for me."

  Zhang Jinxiong said calmly: "My younger brother may be acting recklessly, but how could he possibly trouble Lord Hu to such an extent?"

  Hu Wei said: "General Zhang is unaware, this official is currently under orders to escort the Commander-in-Chief's Secretary Jiang Zhe. Yesterday, General was drinking here and coincidentally encountered a conflict between Xia Jinyi and Guan Zhonglian. The younger brother of the sect actually framed and slandered, causing General to almost have a conflict with Guan Zhonglian. General ordered that the younger brother of the sect must be captured and sent to Guan Zhonglian, so please, General Zhang, do us a favor."

  Zhang Jinxiong's heart sank, and he naturally knew the Sima of the Tian Ce Shuai Fu, who was one of the top officials under the Yong Wang. As a small servant manager, he couldn't stop them, but looking at his pale-faced fellow disciple, he coldly said: "Since Xia Shidi has not committed any crime against the king's law, you are not the Jingzhao Yin, and you do not have the qualifications to arrest him. Moreover, if you were to take him away in front of me, I would lose all face in front of the Crown Prince."

  Hu Wei's brow was also furrowed, the prince had ordered that the commands of Grand Marshal Sima must be obeyed, if he disobeyed, he would likely face punishment. However, Zhang Jinyong's words also made sense, everyone knew that the Prince of Yong and the Crown Prince were like fire and water, incompatible. If Zhang Jinyong let him take the person away, it would likely damage the Crown Prince's reputation, and the Prince of Yong might also be dissatisfied with his actions. After thinking about it, he still couldn't find a solution. He glanced at Zhang Jinyong.

  Zhang Jinyong was not a foolish man, despite his proper demeanor, and he had also noticed Hu Wei's predicament. After some thought, he said: "Alright, let me take my junior brother back for now, I guarantee he won't leave Chang'an, in a few days, I'll personally go to Guanzhong to mediate this matter, then he can apologize to Lord Jiang. But today, you absolutely cannot take him away."

  Hu Wei thought for a moment, and this was the only way out. He said: "Since there is Lord Zhang's guarantee, I will let him go first. When I return to report to General Sima, we will make further arrangements." After finishing speaking, he bid farewell with courtesy, and Zhang Jinyong also personally saw him off. After all, Prince Yong and the Crown Prince had not yet torn their faces apart, and they still had to take care of the superficial things. Moreover, Zhang Jinyong was not a discourteous person himself.

  After sending off Hu Wei, Zhang Jinyong glared at Xia Jinyi and said: "Now it's fine, last time you spoke vaguely, but it turns out that you actually deeply offended the Yong Wang Fu, how can this be resolved?"