Chapter 791

The Emperor played a high-end move, almost making Chen Wuji's brain explode.

He took out all the letters the Emperor had written earlier, but none of them contained matching information, nor did they mention anything about the book's content.

"What else could he mean?" Chen Wuji rubbed his face in despair.

Decryption is very attractive, and also a very interesting thing.

But having no clue at all is extremely frustrating.

Xu Zengyi pondered for a while, then said: "My lord, it's clear we can't dig anything useful out of the Emperor's earlier letters; why not try Miss Xiu Er?"

Chen Wuji's eyes lit up: "How could I have forgotten her!"

"Someone, call Miss Xiu Er!"

Yan Qiushui, standing nearby, gave a low reply.

These two old acquaintances of the Qin clan, after recognizing Qin Zhánhong in Hezhou, had been guarding Chen Wuji's official residence in Hezhou; this time returning to the village, Chen Wuji also brought them along.

With so many people in the household now, we indeed need a couple of capable maids.

Soon after, Zhang Xiuer hurried out of her room: "Brother Wuji, you're looking for me!"

"Xiu Er, let me ask: do you know what kind of books His Majesty the Emperor usually likes to read?" Chen Wuji asked, "Or has he ever mentioned any books to you?"

Zhang Xiuer thought seriously, then shook her head: "His Majesty's orders to us are usually very simple, just marked with the yin talisman, basically a few sentences, without much content."

"Yin talisman? The Emperor is indeed quite cautious." Chen Wuji muttered.

The yin talisman is a secret communication method created by Jiang Taigong.

Initially, the two parties agreed that different lengths and shapes of talismans represented simple information, basically just a few characters, with little content.

Later, through continual improvements, the yin talisman became more varied, mainly based on different shapes. In form it resembles a military token; when pieced together they form a complete symbol, which also corresponds to a character.

However, to simplify the process, the symbol usually corresponds to the sound of a character; for example, one corresponding symbol could be the sound 'yi' (as in the characters meaning 'to use', 'already', 'according to', and 'suitable').

Only by piecing together a complete sentence can one derive the full meaning.

"Since no relevant books were mentioned, think again—do you have anything with fixed content, like a register?" Chen Wuji asked again.

Zhang Xiuer thought long and hard, then said with some hesitation: "Brother Wuji, the kind of thing you're talking about—I probably only have one..."

"What?"

"The list of the Emperor's spy agents in Nan Jun; it's in my hands." Zhang Xiuer said.

"For ease of operation, His Majesty uses the Big Dipper as a single-line leader, the twenty-four solar terms as close-attendance Training Officers, and then combines the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches to form the various departments' inspectors."

"This list has remained unchanged so far; only one person was crippled from a fall off a horse, but no replacement has been found, so his name stays on the list. It can be considered a fixed-content register up to now."

"Brother Wuji, if you're looking for something similar, this is the only thing I can think of! But..."

Chen Wuji understood Zhang Xiuer's concern.

"She represents another Imperial City Department of the Emperor; this list concerns the lives of all of them, so naturally it cannot be handed over lightly."

"Think again—aside from this, is there anything else similar?" Chen Wuji said, waving the Emperor's letter in his hand, "This is the letter His Majesty the Emperor gave me; its most crucial part involves a cipher, but that fellow never revealed a word about it beforehand, so I have the cipher but no corresponding content."

"The answer isn't with me right now; it can only be with you!"

He needed to be open and honest with Zhang Xiuer at the right time.

Otherwise, the Emperor's ciphered letter would probably never be solved.

The things the Emperor gave him, he and Xu Zengyi had just examined back and forth.

There was nothing with fixed content that could serve as a reference for the cipher.

Zhang Xiuer's big, blinking eyes glanced over the long ciphered letter until she saw the Emperor's seal, then she withdrew her gaze and began to ponder deeply.

After a moment, she regretfully shook her head: "Brother Wuji, I can probably only think of that one register; nothing else... really seems to be missing."

Then Xu Zengyi proposed a compromise: "Miss Xiu Er, I'll copy a portion for you to take back and try; if you can piece together a complete passage, then what the Emperor wants to use is likely that register; if you can't form a complete passage, we'll think of another method."

"Well... okay then." Zhang Xiuer hesitated a moment, then agreed.

Xu Zengyi quickly copied down the first line's numeric yuanhao and handed it to Zhang Xiuer: "Thank you, Miss; since the Emperor went to such trouble to write the content this way, it must be of great importance—please handle it carefully!"

"I understand." Zhang Xiuer picked up the slip of paper and hurried back to her room.

Chen Wuji looked at her and couldn't help but chuckle: "Sir, you say if I don't act like a good person, it seems she doesn't even have the right to refuse."

Zhang Xiuer actually carried that register on her person.

Although she brought two maids, no matter how skilled they were, in this place they had to lie low honestly, with no chance for them to act.

Even if they merely showed a hint of wanting to act, within moments several swords would be at their throats.

"Whether this good deed is worthwhile depends on how important Miss Xiu Er is in the lord's heart." Xu Zengyi's eyes were deep: "If she's merely ordinary, then being a good person is really unnecessary."

"That is, as long as the lord and the Emperor still have some dealings now; otherwise, the Emperor's spies planted in Nan Jun would have no need to continue existing."

Chen Wuji saw Xu Zengyi's gaze and knew he was already getting restless.

He waved his hand: "For now it's still more important; put away those thoughts and let's see first!"

"Here!"

Although Chen Wuji likes women a bit too much, each of them is sincere.

In later times, this would definitely make him a scumbag.

But in the present, Chen Wuji can truly be called a good man.

Different era, different background—some things are completely different.

As for Zhang Xiuer, he is equally sincere.

Very sincere!

Moreover, because of their prior interactions, this sincerity carries a lot of guilt.

If Zhang Xiuer is willing, Chen Wuji wants to make it up to her properly in the second half of his life.

But all this, frankly, is just his one-sided wish.

How far he can go still depends on Zhang Xiuer's intention...

If they're just paying lip service, then it's all castles in the air.

It's all nonsense!