Chapter 589
Through Draft
Chen Huaibei had guessed Chen Ji's identity.
Perhaps they are former subordinates of Prince Jing? Of the three thousand retainers under Prince Jing's command, some are dead and others have scattered, but there are always a few who slipped through the net and are hiding in the shadows, waiting to do something for their former master one day.
Or perhaps they were assassins secretly raised by Wen Yunmo? That descendant of the Wen family was very ambitious, so it was perfectly normal for him to secretly raise a few people for unforeseen circumstances.
Chen Huaibei thought about many things for a moment, but he never considered that this person might be Binghu. He couldn't understand how Bai Li, the new gang leader, could be involved with Binghu of the Secret Service.
A sick tiger.
Other zodiac signs may still have stories circulating in teahouses. There are always daring storytellers who dare to recount old tales of the martial world, such as how the Rabbit and the Sheep joined forces to wipe out 127 members of the White Lotus Sect headquarters in Tianjin, or how the Heavenly Horse single-handedly conquered the bandits of Yangquan in the Taihang Mountains, or...
The only thing missing from the story of the "Sick Tiger" is that there isn't a single decent tale about him in the martial arts world. What was his background as an official? What level of skill did he possess? What did he do for the eunuch faction? The martial arts world knows absolutely nothing.
This person is neither in the imperial court nor living in the Jianghu (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and outlaws).
At this moment, Chen Ji saw the black serpent approaching and calmly asked, "What, are you also going to stop me?"
Xuan She bowed respectfully and said, "This humble servant dares not presume. It is only because this humble servant has long admired Lord Bing Hu that I heard from my spies that you have come to the Inner Prison, so I have come to pay my respects."
Chen Ji calmly said, "I've finished seeing you. You may leave."
The black serpent did not retreat.
He bowed his head slightly, but his eyes rolled upwards as he secretly watched Chen Ji's every move.
Xuan She's voice remained respectful: "I wonder what purpose you have in taking Han Tong away, sir? Meng Ji was seriously injured after interrogating Han Tong a few days ago and has not yet recovered. I originally wanted to wait until Meng Ji recovered before finding out the location of the Cao Gang's treasury. Why don't you wait three more days, sir? In just three days, I guarantee I will find out all the details about the Cao Gang's treasury."
As Xuan She spoke, she mustered her courage to examine Chen Ji.
Although this sick tiger lord has covered his face, he is a master of criminal law, and some clues cannot be hidden by simply covering his face.
Those in lower positions are reserved because their lives don't allow them to make mistakes.
Those in positions of power are relaxed and act with unrestrained ease, displaying an attitude of "not being afraid of making mistakes," even if they do, there is room for maneuver.
However, Xuan She found that the sick tiger in front of him was calm and composed, clearly displaying the demeanor of someone who had long held a superior position, which confused him.
At this moment, Chen Ji said slowly and deliberately, "I am about to consolidate the Grand Canal Gang for the sake of the Grand Chancellor. How can I allow you to delay? Step down. I will make my own decision."
As he spoke, three sword-shaped objects emerged from the markings and settled into his sleeve.
Xuan She was still unwilling to give up and stepped forward, saying, "My lord, this Han Tong is wild and unruly. He has been imprisoned in the inner prison for so long and has not said a word. If we let him go back, I'm afraid we won't be able to win over the Cao Gang. Instead, we'll be letting a tiger return to the mountains."
He took this step to get closer to Chen Ji, and finally had the chance to see Chen Ji's hands clearly... they were actually the hands of a young man.
Palmistry is one of the biggest differences between young people and older people.
Young people typically have slender hands; even if their hands are short and chubby, the knuckles are not overly large. As people age, their hands become more robust and sturdy, and the knuckles gradually become more prominent.
The palm print of the sick tiger in front of me clearly indicates that he is a young man.
Xuan She was startled, then stepped forward again: "This humble servant dares to ask, each of the twelve zodiac animals has its own name. After the Tomb Dog came the Corpse Dog, after the Night Sheep came the Cloud Sheep, after the Spirit Rabbit came the Bright Rabbit... The Sick Tiger was the name of the previous one, Feng Wenzheng. May I ask what your name is now, sir?"
This time, he saw Chen Ji's eyes clearly. The lines around his eyes could not lie. This sick tiger was indeed a young man. But how could the Inner Minister appoint a young man as one of the three zodiac animals?
fake!
At this moment, Chen Ji calmly said, "A white dragon is always a white dragon, and a sick tiger is always a sick tiger."
Xuan She suddenly chuckled softly. He slowly straightened up, looking at Chen Ji with his usual expression: "No, the White Dragon is indeed always the White Dragon, but a sick tiger is not necessarily still a sick tiger."
The next moment, Xuan She suddenly launched an attack, his black cloak billowing out as he pounced on Chen Ji like a night owl.
Chen Huaibei reacted quickly, pulling Zheng Zhou aside to dodge. Lü Qi and Tian Kuang simultaneously drew their swords, charging towards the Black Serpent from the left and right.
At the critical moment, the carriage curtains moved without wind, as if something was bursting forth from within. When the overwhelming force pressed out, those around the carriage felt a tightness in their chests, as if they had been punched in the chest.
Xuan She's expression changed drastically. He pulled his cloak back with both hands, barely managing to shield himself.
A sudden gust of wind swept by, and with a loud crash, the black serpent was sent flying five or six zhang away.
"grown ups!"
Hai Dongqing Gao Yi rushed forward and caught the black snake, preventing it from falling to the ground in a sorry state. The black snake steadied itself, looking at the carriage with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty, hesitant to approach again.
Chen Ji calmly said, "How dare you test my identity? Go and receive fifty strokes of the cane. If you dare to offend again, you will be demoted to a gyrfalcon."
Xuan She gritted his teeth and remained silent for a moment, looking repeatedly at Chen Ji and the carriage. Finally, he bowed his head, clasped his hands, and said, "Yes, it was my presumption. I will go and receive the court flogging now."
He turned and strode towards the Eagle House.
Gao Yi followed beside him and asked in a low voice, "My lord, is that really Lord Sick Tiger?"
"No!" Xuan She glanced at the solemn and imposing Forbidden City: "Beat the drums, impose curfew!"
Gao Yi paused for a moment: "Sir, tonight is the Double Ninth Festival. If the curfew is imposed without any evidence, I'm afraid there will be severe punishment."
Xuan She stopped and looked at him: "How could the Grand Chancellor appoint a young man as one of the top three? This man is definitely not a sick tiger! Go beat the drum and prevent them from escaping the capital... Seal off the water gate. They are from the Canal Gang, and there must be someone at the water gate to help them. I will go to the Jie Fan Lou now and report this matter to the Grand Chancellor. Before I leave the palace, not a single fly is allowed to escape."
Xuan She walked without stopping past Yingfangsi and arrived at Xihua Gate. He showed his waist token and shouted to the Jiefan Guard on duty, "Open the gate!"
At this moment, a figure turned around at Xihua Gate.
Long embroidery.
Changxiu smiled and said, "So it's Lord Xuanshe. Why aren't you going home to rest so late?"
Xuan She paused, sizing up the handsome young eunuch before him, and sneered, "Get out of the way!"
Jie Fanwei pushed the Xihua Gate open a crack, and Changxiu smiled and stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter.
The black snake walked past him and stepped into the Xihua Gate.
Behind him, Changxiu still stood through the crack in the Xihua Gate, smiling as she watched his retreating figure.
……
……
The sound of drums rose from the walls of the Forbidden City, urgent and rapid.
The sound of the drums traveled from the Forbidden City to the inner city walls, and then to the nine gate towers. The nine city gates closed simultaneously, and the huge gates made a loud rumbling noise.
At the sound of drums, the Five City Garrison on night duty acted immediately, rushing into the streets to drive the people home. Anyone still wandering the streets half an hour later was exiled to Lingnan.
A curfew has been imposed.
Chen Ji pondered for a moment by the carriage, then beckoned Lü Qi and the others to climb into the carriage together: "Let's go through Anding Gate."
Lu Qi flicked the reins and drove the carriage north towards Anding Gate. Chen Huaibei said anxiously in the carriage, "Now that all nine gates are locked, how can we go through Anding Gate? We should go to Beishuiguan now. There are members of our Cao Gang there to meet us. We can take a fast boat north and join the Yongding River in just half an hour."
Everyone in the car looked at Chen Ji, but Chen Ji sat upright with his eyes closed, showing no sign of changing his mind.
Chen Huaibei then looked at Bai Li: "Chief?"
Bai Li said softly, "Let's go through Anding Gate."
The carriage fell silent. Chen Huaibei and the others pondered whether Chen Ji was indeed a sick tiger, their eyes occasionally sweeping over him, but they could not be certain.
The speeding carriage passed by the Bodhisattva's procession. The monks, carrying the Sumeru pedestal, returned to Yuanjue Temple ahead of curfew, chanting in unison: "...It is emptiness, neither past, nor future, nor present..."
Bai Li sat at the back of the carriage, quietly watching Chen Ji's profile. But after Chen Ji boarded the train, he never opened his eyes again.
In that story, Li Changge, who was famous throughout the capital, would appear whenever the princess was in trouble.
But the story must end now; Li Changge will never appear again.
The dark, narrow passage through Luhun Mountain Villa, the white cloaks of the Imperial Guards fluttering in the wind on the way to the First Silkworm Altar, the red robe with a unicorn pattern that stormed into the Jiaofangsi—all these are like dreams and troubles turned upside down, unable to be reborn.
At this moment, Lü Qi, who was driving the carriage, suddenly exclaimed in alarm: "Oh no! The Five Cities Garrison is blocking the entrance to Anding Gate!"
Chen Huaibei hurriedly lifted the curtain to look through the gap, and saw that there were barricades standing in front of Anding Gate, and hundreds of infantrymen were standing in front of the city gate.
The drums on the city tower beat rapidly.
……
……
In front of Andingmen Gate, barricades were laid out in three rows.
The sharpened edges of the wooden poles looked eerie in the torchlight, and behind the barricades were dark, menacing figures.
The leader was clad in chainmail, holding a long spear with the tip pointing to the ground, yet he remained motionless, like a stone statue.
Torch.
Torches were everywhere.
Rows of torches were planted on both sides of the city gate, illuminating the area within dozens of feet as bright as day. The flames danced in the wind, casting long, overlapping shadows of the foot soldiers, like a wall.
The torches were even more densely packed on the city wall, with one every three steps, illuminating the entire city wall and making its outline clearly visible.
Heads peeked out from the battlements; they were archers, their bows strung and arrows pointing diagonally at the ground. With just a command, they could turn the area below the city into a pincushion.
The drumbeats are still going on.
It wasn't just one drum on the city gate tower, but several, coming from all directions. The drums of Andingmen, Deshengmen, Xizhimen, Dongzhimen... all nine gates sounded, one after another.
"What did I tell you?" Chen Huaibei turned around abruptly, glaring at Chen Ji: "I told you we should go through Beishuiguan. There are people from my canal gang at Beishuiguan. The boats are hidden in the reeds. Once we get there, we can go downstream for half an hour and enter the Yongding River! Now look at us, where do you want us to go?"
Zheng Zhou also came over, his face pale with anxiety: "Chen Huaibei is right, what do we do now?"
Chen Ji didn't open his eyes. He remained seated at the far end of the carriage, his back straight: "Let's keep going."
Lu Qi looked at Bai Li in a panic, but Bai Li calmly said, "Keep going."
"You!" Chen Huaibei pointed at Chen Ji: "Whether you're a sick tiger or a former subordinate of Prince Jing, I don't care who you are! But since you led us down this path, you have to give an explanation! Continuing forward now is no different from walking into a trap!"
Lu Qi shouted from outside in a low voice, "Stop making noise! The Military Command has made a move!"
Chen Huaibei leaned forward and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside.
The mounted general moved. He picked up his spear, spurred his horse forward a few steps, and stopped in front of the barricade.
The torchlight illuminated his young face, his eyes as cold as knives: "Who is walking in the streets during curfew?"
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly into the carriage.
Chen Huaibei glanced back at Chen Ji, who finally opened his eyes. He recognized the military officer guarding the city gate as Lin Yanchu, the former commander of the Imperial Guard and now the deputy commander of the Five Cities Garrison.
Chen Ji emerged from the carriage and stood beside Lü Qi, making three hand gestures to Lin Yanchu from a distance.
The next moment, Lin Yanchu turned his horse around and said loudly, "Open the city gates."
The infantrymen exchanged glances, and the centurion of the Five Cities Garrison stepped forward: "Commander Lin, are you really going to open the city gates? The curfew drum has sounded; opening the city gates rashly will result in dismissal and investigation."
Lin Yanchu said confidently, "Open!"
Upon receiving the order, the infantrymen of the Five Cities Garrison immediately removed three rows of barricades, and the heavy city gate of Anding Gate was slowly opened, creating a gap just wide enough for a horse-drawn carriage to pass through.
Everyone in the carriage looked at Chen Ji. No wonder Chen Ji insisted on going through Anding Gate; it turned out he had already prepared a backup plan at Anding Gate.
It seemed that Chen Ji had planned every step of the night in advance. He was ready to meet any challenge, and nothing could stop him from sending Bai Li away.
Chen Huaibei was so astonished that he was incoherent: "Why would the deputy commander of the Five Cities Garrison obey you? Did you know there would be a curfew and the city would be sealed off? When did you foresee this?"
Chen Ji remained silent.
when?
He had prepared for this day for a long time, exchanging benefits with the inner minister, holding the sick tiger waist token, and Lin Yanchu enduring hardship and biding his time...
He was no longer the stranger who had just arrived in this land; he knew how to play his pieces on the chessboard. Every move he made pointed to the path out of the capital, but he himself could no longer make that path.
Upon reaching the city gate, Chen Ji climbed into the carriage and stuffed what he was holding into Bai Li's hand.
In the quiet carriage, he looked at Bai Li for the first time. The fire that once burned in her eyes was gone, as were the sunrise and sunset: "Take care."
The white carp opened its palm and looked down at the six golden melon seeds in its hand.
When she looked up again, Chen Ji had already jumped off the carriage, whipping the horse's rump hard, and then watched the carriage pass through the gap in the city gate. Bai Li turned around and lifted the curtain behind her, watching Chen Ji standing in the shadow of the city gate, like a stone statue, getting further and further away.
Lin Yanchu rode up to Chen Ji's side, dismounted, and stood beside him watching the carriage disappear into the distance: "My lord, was it worth it?"
Chen Ji did not answer the question, but calmly said, "Thank you for your hard work."
Lin Yanchu grinned and said, "You're too kind, sir. If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have died in the inner prison long ago, or be feeding horses and sweeping floors amidst the ostracism of those rich kids in the Imperial Guard. Coming to the Five Cities Garrison is much more comfortable than being in the Imperial Guard. The only problem is that Qi Zhenzhuo and the others always make sarcastic remarks whenever they see me, which makes me feel uncomfortable. Remember to tell them tomorrow that I, Lin Yanchu, am not a person who breaks promises."
Chen Ji looked out of the city gate: "Have my parents been settled?"
Lin Yanchu nodded and said, "They've all been sent to Guyuan."
Chen Ji took out a letter and a string of Buddhist coins from his bosom and handed them to Lin Yanchu: "The letter is for Hu Junxian. As long as you dare to risk your life, he will give you a bright future. There are 4,700 taels of silver in the Buddhist coins, enough for you to settle down in Guyuan."
Lin Yanchu pondered for a moment, then took only the envelope and not the Buddhist coin: "Sir, one letter is enough."
Chen Ji stuffed the Buddhist coin into his arms: "The journey through the martial world is long. Having some money on you will make the journey easier. Take care."
Lin Yanchu no longer declined, facing Chen Ji, he bowed deeply: "My lord, you are going thousands of miles to make a name for yourself, and we will meet again in the future with fame and fortune! Take care!"
After saying this, Lin Yanchu led his horse to the front of Anding Gate, hung his deputy commander's seal and tiger tally on the vermilion gate, mounted his horse, and galloped away.
A gust of wind swept through the city gate, causing Chen Ji's clothes to flutter in the wind.
Chen Ji did not leave immediately, just like everyone who decides to turn around, he stood in the wind for a long time.
Until the sound of Lin Yanchu's horse hooves could no longer be heard, until the carriage completely disappeared into the night, Chen Ji took out a red cloth from his pocket. The writing on it had become blurred and could no longer be read.
It seems so; the flowers are similar year after year, but the people are different year after year.
Chen Ji raised his hand, letting the draft carry the red ribbon away. (End of Chapter)