Chapter 489
Changing lives
Chapter 489 Changing lives
The Jiefan Building was quiet and peaceful.
From the incense burner behind the screen, grayish-white smoke drifted to the roof and swirled among the brackets.
Chen Ji remained silent for a long time. He had barely managed to get here with restraint and forbearance, not daring to take a wrong step. He didn't know whether, after he revealed his request, the Poison Minister would grant him a wish out of gratitude or plunge him into eternal damnation.
The person behind the screen didn't urge them on, but continued writing with their head down. It was as if the relics were merely decorations in this dimly lit room—the screen, the incense burner, or something else.
Only after the incense in the burner had burned out did Chen Ji finally speak and ask, "What does the Grand Chancellor desire?"
After finishing a document behind the screen, the inner minister put down his brush, shook the Xuan paper in his hands, and slowly said, "All the joys and sorrows in this world cannot withstand scrutiny, because they are only your own affairs. You should not ask me what I want, but you should first think clearly about what you are willing to give."
Chen Ji asked in a low voice, "Is the Golden Pig the same?"
The inner minister calmly said: "Everyone is like this."
Having said that, he rang the copper bell in his hand.
The door opened from the outside, and Shan Niu's burly figure walked into the room. Without giving Chen Ji a second glance, he walked around the screen to the table and said, "My lord."
The inner minister handed the newly written document to Shan Niu: "Send it to Wu Nian Mountain."
Shan Niu took the document and turned to leave, not knowing what was written in it or where Wu Nian Mountain was.
After the mountain ox left, the house became quiet again.
Chen Ji thought that there would be hundreds of axemen lying in ambush in this Jie Fan Lou, and if anyone harbored ill intentions towards the Inner Minister, someone would immediately rush out and chop him into pieces.
There was no Jiefan Tower, and Chen Ji could even hear the footsteps of the mountain ox receding into the distance, as if the inner minister was not worried about anyone doing anything to him.
Chen Ji silently looked up, but could only see the python on the screen staring straight at him; he couldn't make out the expression of the person behind the screen. He could only see that blurry figure pick up the brush again and continue writing a document.
It's as if there are endless documents to write.
After the inner minister finished writing another document, he raised his eyelids and looked through the screen: "Haven't you thought it through yet? The so-called living must die, the gathered must scatter, the accumulated must be exhausted, the standing must fall, and the high must fall, this is the law of nature. Because you have lost too much, you don't want to lose anything more. This kind of thinking is not advisable. Go back and think it through before you come back."
Chen Ji's heart sank.
Just as they were about to take a desperate gamble, there was a knock on the door.
Chen Ji turned his head and saw Bai Long's voice coming from behind the door: "Minister, your humble servant has returned."
White dragon?
Chen Ji was surprised, but he didn't know when Bai Long had returned to the capital. And this Bai Long, who was so arrogant and unrestrained outside the palace, was somewhat humble inside the Jie Fan Lou.
The inner minister picked up the copper bell beside him and shook it. Bai Long pushed open the door and entered, his white robes spotless.
He glanced at Chen Ji and said, "Go out first. I have important matters to report to the Grand Chancellor."
The Minister of the Interior said without looking up, "It's alright, he can listen."
Bai Long was taken aback, and Chen Ji was also taken aback.
Bai Long walked straight around the screen, stood before the table, and bowed respectfully: "Prime Minister, when I went to Chongli Pass this time, Zhang Lanjin strictly adhered to military discipline and did not send troops without authorization. I found no evidence against him. This man does not keep concubines, nor does he embezzle military funds. He lives in the gate tower every day and rarely leaves the gate tower."
The Minister of the Interior did not respond, continuing to write documents with his head down.
Chen Ji suddenly felt suspicious. Why did Bai Long not mention the Mo Dao Camp, Yuan Heng Li Zhen, or Jiang Liu Xian when he just returned to the capital? How many people from the Mo Dao Camp were killed by the Secret Service? Is Yuan Heng Li Zhen dead or alive? Did Jiang Liu Xian stop them? Aren't these more important matters?
But Bai Long continued to report: "This time, the night watchmen Hong Zu'er, Zhang Baishi, and others went to Jingchao with Chen Ji. They have been gone for more than twenty days, and the news has not leaked. It seems that Zhang Lanjin's rule is strict, and Chongli Pass no longer has any military intelligence spies."
The Minister of the Interior casually remarked, "A good thing."
Bai Long continued, "The men I've arranged have already gone to Xijing Road in Jing Dynasty using the method provided by Deng Huo. I expect they'll be able to establish a foothold within six months and investigate the military movements in Xijing Road. Within a year, I'm certain I can win over a group of nobles and officials..."
The minister's expression remained unchanged, as if this was not a big deal.
Bai Long glanced at the Inner Minister: "The extent to which the Lighthouse has infiltrated the Jing Dynasty far exceeds our previous assumptions. They have been operating in the Jing Dynasty for many years, and perhaps they have even infiltrated the capital."
"Up to the capital?" The Grand Secretary finally stopped writing, lost in thought. "Could we use them to plant spies in the capital?"
“Not yet. At present, Deng Huo is only willing to take my secret agents to Longyou Road and Xijing Road,” Bai Long pondered for a moment, “If we want to infiltrate Shangjing, we will probably have to exchange it for the exoneration of Qing Wentao. The key figure in this case is Cao Ding, the chief of the Military Intelligence Department. If we don’t find him, we won’t be able to get the evidence that Jingchao’s spies framed Qing Wentao.”
The Minister chuckled softly: "Lu Jin has driven a nail into the throat of our capital, yet we can't find it no matter what. How shameful."
Bai Long remained silent.
The Minister of the Interior calmly asked, "Have you found out where the owner of the lights came from?"
Bai Long replied, "Not yet."
The minister placed the brush beside the inkstone and looked up at Bai Long with great interest: "The lamps have become deeply entrenched in our dynasty. Since they are disobedient, let's uproot them before they become too powerful to control."
However, at this moment, Bai Long said softly, "My lord, it is useful for me to leave the lamp lit."
Chen Ji looked up in astonishment. He saw the two people behind the screen staring at each other silently, and he couldn't tell if they were confronting each other or scrutinizing each other.
He originally thought that Xu Wenhe, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, was the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and that no matter how powerful Bai Long was, he was ultimately just a subordinate of the Grand Eunuch.
But he didn't expect that Bai Long would refuse the inner minister.
The inner minister was not angry, seemingly showing more tolerance towards the white dragon: "Give me a reason."
Bai Long bowed deeply and said, "My lord once said that no matter how powerful a person is, as long as they have hatred in their heart, they are not to be feared. Deng Huo's hatred is boundless and can be used by me."
Chen Ji suddenly remembered that Jin Zhu had once told him: "The inner minister once told me that there are only two things in the world that are the sharpest: fame and fortune; he also once told me that there are only two emotions in the world that are the easiest to use: hatred and love."
As far as the Inner Minister was concerned, those who craved fame and fortune, and those whose hearts were filled with love and hate, were not to be feared. The Inner Minister chuckled: "Use it well, but don't let the knife hurt your hand."
Bai Long cupped his hands and said, "Yes."
The minister picked up his brush, lowered his head, and began writing a document: "You may leave."
"Yes," Bai Long said to Chen Ji as he walked out, "Come with me, I have something to tell you."
Chen Ji's expression shifted.
But then the eunuch behind the screen said in a detached tone, "Now that we've secured the lamps, let's not worry about anyone else. My appreciation for you is only enough to secure one person."
Bai Long stood still: "My lord, you have misunderstood. This humble servant would not dare."
The Prime Minister said calmly, "I've never seen you come to the Relief Pavilion so often before, but you came today as soon as you returned to the capital. Well, those who enter the Relief Pavilion are naturally people who are troubled. His troubles haven't been resolved yet, so he can't leave."
Chen Ji suddenly realized that Bai Long's sudden visit to Jie Fan Lou was not to report anything to the Minister, but because the other party suddenly learned that he had been summoned to Jie Fan Lou.
The Minister said softly, "You can't help him with what he wants to do."
Upon hearing this, Chen Ji took a deep breath and finally cupped his hands, saying, "Your Excellency, I wish to save a life."
The minister placed the brush on the inkstone: "All your previous merits were to earn you the right to enter my Relief Pavilion. Now that you want to save a life, you'll have to give up your own life in exchange."
Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Is it okay to use someone else's life?"
The minister, peering through the screen, became intrigued: "Whose fate is it?"
After pondering for a moment, Chen Ji said with certainty, "It is Si Cao Ding's fate."
The minister remained noncommittal: "Can you find Si Cao Ding?"
Chen Ji remained silent.
The Prime Minister sneered, "You want to negotiate terms with me?"
Chen Ji lowered his head: "This humble servant dares not. Give this humble servant six months, and this humble servant will definitely find Si Cao Ding."
The Minister calmly replied, "Half a year is too long."
Chen Ji changed his tune: "Three months!"
The Prime Minister slowly rose, went to the window, and pushed it open a crack, watching the sunset fade away: "If you have to exchange your own life for one, that's enough. If you have to exchange someone else's life for two, then you'll need two. One Si Cao Ding isn't enough."
A resolute glint flashed in Chen Ji's eyes: "Plus Wu Xiu's life."
Bai Long suddenly turned to look at him.
The Prime Minister laughed heartily, closed the window, and looked at Chen Ji through the screen: "You're incredibly audacious. But I have no use for Wu Xiu's life. You'll owe me this life for now. Once I've decided who I want to kill, you can kill them for me. Don't worry, I won't let you kill Lu Yang."
Chen Ji said solemnly, "Alright!"
Who do you want to save?
"Princess Bai Li".
After pondering for a moment, the Prime Minister slowly said, "Next April is the Huangshan Taoist Temple's grand festival, held once every sixty years. At that time, the temple will enshrine 3,600 deities on Huangshan Mountain, a rare and grand event for the temple, attracting tens of thousands of spectators. Although Jingyang Palace is a place of house arrest, it is still a Taoist temple. For such a grand event, the nuns in the temple can go or not. They can be escorted on the way or not. Boy, I will only give you three months to bring me the head of Si Cao Ding."
Chen Ji suddenly looked up. The other party was implying that as long as he could find Si Cao Ding, they would give him a chance to intercept Princess Bai Li!
He bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Your Excellency!"
The Minister waved his hand: "All of you may leave."
Chen Ji followed Bai Long out of the door and walked down the stairs one after the other.
Amidst the scents of pine and ink, he gazed at Bai Long's retreating figure, pondering Bai Long's true identity. Since Mr. Feng left the capital, he had never witnessed Bai Long's actions, nor could he determine the man's official background or level of strength.
As Chen Ji was about to bid farewell to Bai Long after leaving the Jie Fan Lou, he saw Bai Long standing outside the Jie Fan Lou with his hands tucked into his sleeves: "Don't rush off, wait a little longer."
Chen Ji was puzzled, unsure of what he was waiting for, but he didn't ask any further questions.
Only when it was completely dark and a palace eunuch announced the hour of Xu (7-9 PM) did Bai Long say, "Go."
Chen Ji walked out of the East Six Palaces courtyard where Jie Fan Lou was located, his mind full of questions. As soon as he entered the palace road, he saw two palace ladies carrying dim yellow lanterns coming towards him.
They came from Kunning Palace and are returning to Jingyang Palace.
Behind the female envoy followed a female Taoist priestess, dressed in a blue Taoist robe, her skin as white as snow. The blue robe made her look as pure and elegant as a swan, yet as slender as a kite.
White carp.
Chen Ji turned around and glanced at Bai Long.
Bai Long casually waved his hand: "Don't talk, don't violate the taboos of the palace."
Only then did he realize why Bai Long had asked him to wait; it seemed that Bai Li returned to Jingyang Palace at this time every day.
Chen Ji bowed to Bai Long in thanks, then turned to greet Bai Li.
One person walked into the inner palace, and the other walked out of the inner palace. They met face to face, and then missed each other. They restrained themselves and neither of them spoke.
(End of this chapter)