Chapter 644
Overthinking
Night had fallen, and the noodle shop owner lit a few oil lamps.
Under the dim light, Bai Long looked around and said, "The Jingchao Military Intelligence Division's Tianzhi has been lying low for more than ten years. What do you all think they would most like to do after being re-employed?"
Jiao Tu sat at the next table, one hand supporting her chin, the other gesturing in circles on the table: "Shall we have a couple of drinks to celebrate?"
Bai Long glanced at her sideways.
Yun Yang stood beside Jiao Tu, arms crossed, and calmly said, "Prove yourself."
Bai Long nodded: "Lu Jin became famous more than ten years ago for assassinating our Minister of Revenue. He used this as a stepping stone to advance his career and is now a high-ranking official in the court as the Deputy Privy Councilor. The entire Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Bureau takes Lu Jin as an example. He has been lying low for so long and is now showing his face for the first time. He is so arrogant. Perhaps he also wants to kill a cabinet minister to make a name for himself."
Jiao Tu tilted her head and said, "Isn't this perfect? His Majesty would love for all the Grand Secretaries to be dead. Their descendants are not yet capable of shouldering the responsibilities. We might as well sit idly by and use the Military Intelligence Bureau to wipe them all out."
Just then, a weary, aged voice emerged from beneath the monkey mask: “No, this is not what His Majesty wants. What His Majesty wants is for them to die one by one. It would be best to stabilize the Liu family’s Yu Province before dealing with the Qi family. After taking the Qi family’s Ji Province, then deal with the Xu family, instead of letting Yu Province, Ji Province, Shan Province, Shan Province, Yun Province, and Jiangnan all fall into chaos, giving the Jing Dynasty an opportunity to take advantage… His Majesty cares more about this country and its people than anyone else, because it is his country.”
The voice was old and deep, like a wronged soul in a dry well.
Chen Ji frowned and looked at Bao Hou. This was the first time he had heard this aged voice from under Bao Hou's mask, but it wasn't the first time he had heard this voice before.
Liao Zhong.
Seeing Chen Ji looking at him, Liao Zhong smiled wearily: "Viscount Wu Xiang, how have you been?"
Chen Ji looked at Bai Long: "So, those voices behind Lord Bao Hou's mask were all from the officials he once seized the gate from? This Liao Zhong..."
Liao Zhong slowly said, "Viscount Wu Xiang, you need not worry about me. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. This is a principle I understood from the moment I returned to the capital. If you win, you win; if you lose, you lose. If you are willing to risk your life, don't blame fate if you lose. I have only one wish: to see the Crown Prince die like me before I can leave."
Chen Ji was silent for a moment: "Because the Crown Prince betrayed you?"
Liao Zhong laughed loudly: "No, no, no, I personally taught him, how could I not know how vicious he is? But does Viscount Wu Xiang remember what I said? Which wise ruler in this world is not cold-blooded and ruthless? His Majesty the present also cut off his love and affection before sitting on that dragon throne. I do not hate the Crown Prince. He is just like me, a lonely man."
Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Then why must he die?"
Liao Zhong thought for a long time, then sneered, “The Crown Prince has suffered too much. His Majesty used power and suspicion to mold him into his own image. He cannot make mistakes, nor can he be weak. He has been a dutiful Crown Prince for more than twenty years, finally living his life like His Majesty. But His Majesty thinks he is too much like himself and is afraid of him. Although his mother is still alive, her love is only a vicious gamble and demand... Struggling to stay in this world like this, it would be better for her to leave with me. At least she will have a companion on the road.”
Jiao Tu whispered, "Sick..."
A shrill voice muttered from beneath the mask, "I don't want to be in the same body as him anymore..."
"I don't want to either."
"I also……"
Bai Long interrupted, "Shut up."
Bao Hou, in his original middle-aged voice, snapped, "Shut up, all of you."
Baohou looked up at Chen Ji and said, "Don't worry, Lord Binghu, I can keep him under control."
Bai Long tapped the table with his fingers and looked at Chen Ji: "I'm assigning Jiao Tu, Yun Yang, and Bao Hou to you. They'll keep watch from afar, while you stay by Lord Zhang's side. Lord Zhang is your father-in-law, so you should do your best."
Chen Ji said calmly, "If the four Zodiac signs are guarding Lord Zhang, what about the other cabinet ministers and ministers?"
"This person dares to pay New Year's greetings to us; he thinks too highly of himself. He wouldn't stoop to assassinating anyone other than a Grand Secretary," the woman's voice behind the monkey mask speculated. "Grand Secretary Xu is dying soon, so there's no need to kill him. Grand Secretary Hu has the most Dao-Seeking Realm experts around him, and there's also Hu Junyan, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, stationed in the capital, so he's not easy to kill. Grand Secretary Chen's Chen Xu is unfathomable, so he's also not easy to kill. Only Zhang Zhuo's foundation is still shallow, and he doesn't even have a decent assassin by his side, so he's the easiest to kill."
Chen Ji then asked, "What if the Military Intelligence Bureau's target is His Majesty?"
Bai Long stood up: "This is what I'm most worried about. If His Majesty is assassinated on his way to the Altar of Mountains and Rivers on the fifteenth of the first lunar month, we will all have to spend New Year's Eve in Lingnan from now on."
Chen Ji watched as Bai Long walked alone into the night. He immediately got up and walked outside. He had to get back to the Zhang residence as quickly as possible to confirm whether Zhang Xia was home.
Jiao Tu grabbed his wrist: "Wait, Lord Sick Tiger hasn't told us what to do yet."
Yun Yang grabbed their wrists and forcibly separated them: "If you're going to talk, then talk. What are you doing, pulling and tugging at each other?"
Jiao Tu rolled her eyes, pulled her hand back, and shook it.
Chen Ji walked out without looking back: "Go back and rest today. Come to the Zhang residence at dawn tomorrow. We'll talk about everything tomorrow."
Just then, Baohou stepped in front of Chen Ji again, and the middle-aged man's voice under the mask said, "Lord Binghu, since Lord Bailong instructed us to protect Lord Zhang, there is no reason for us to rest. Otherwise, if the Military Intelligence Bureau makes a move tonight, our fate will not be as simple as being exiled to Lingnan."
Chen Ji frowned and said, "Then you can stay outside the Zhang residence."
Bao Hou then said, "Even on ordinary days, Lord Zhang has to be careful when he goes out. I will be his coachman so that nothing goes wrong."
Chen Ji denied it, saying, "He is a cabinet minister. How could he allow us eunuchs to be his chauffeurs? It would be detrimental to his reputation."
Bao Hou sneered, "Lord Zhang still has a reputation?"
The two exchanged questions and answers quickly, but Chen Ji suddenly narrowed his eyes: "Are you stalling for time?" Bao Hou asked in confusion: "What are you saying, sir? I don't understand. Asking these questions is my duty."
Chen Ji stopped arguing with Bao Hou, immediately turned and left the noodle shop, heading towards Xuanwumen Street. He walked faster and faster until he started running.
Inside the noodle shop, Jiao Tu, Yun Yang, and Bao Hou looked at each other. Jiao Tu made a fist with two fingers, as if holding a wine cup, and gestured in the air: "Want a couple of drinks?"
Bao Hou watched Chen Ji's figure disappear into the night and sneered, "My colleagues in the Secret Service haven't even gotten to the point of sitting down and drinking together yet. It's already good enough that I haven't killed you all. I suggest you come with me to guard outside the Zhang residence, or I'll twist your heads off."
……
……
There were no pedestrians on the snowy night.
Chen Ji ran wildly alone down the long street. The snow that had been crushed by carriages and horses during the day froze into ice shards at night, which chafed his feet.
When he arrived at the main gate of the Zhang residence, the gatekeeper was standing under the lanterns of the Zhang residence with his neck hunched over, rubbing his hands and looking around.
The servant's eyes lit up when he saw Chen Ji: "Young master, you're finally back!"
Chen Ji nodded without saying a word, then stepped over the threshold and headed straight for the West Garden.
The servant chased after him, calling out loudly, "Young master, where are you going? Madam is waiting for you in the main hall!"
Ignoring everything else, Chen Ji continued walking towards the West Garden. Upon entering, he found Xiao Man idly squatting under the eaves of the west wing, chatting with a young monk. Wu Yun was fast asleep on Xiao Man's head, its two double buns perfectly securing its body.
Upon seeing Chen Ji enter, Xiao Man immediately stood up, her head still clouded with worry: "Young Master, you're finally back..."
Chen Ji strode across the courtyard, lifted the curtain of the main house, and glanced around.
After confirming that no one was around, he turned to Xiaoman and asked, "Where's Xia?"
Xiaoman tore the dark cloud off her head and hugged it to her chest, saying matter-of-factly, "Sister Xia is in the main hall. She's been waiting for you for ages."
Chen Ji pressed further, "When did she return? Just now?"
Xiaoman was taken aback: "No, Sister Xia came back at noon."
Chen Ji was also taken aback: "She came back at noon? Didn't she have a polo match with her friends?"
Xiaoman nodded and said, "Sister Xia said that the snow on the Tianshi Temple grassland was too thick to play polo. She went to the appointment because she was afraid that her friend would wait too long, so they would just meet briefly and then part ways. Originally, her friend invited her to the teahouse, but she was thinking about making new clothes in the afternoon, so she didn't go."
Chen Ji lowered his head and remained silent for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Where is Zhang Zheng?"
Xiaoman thought for a moment: "I heard from Sister Xia that he and his uncle Xu Shu secretly went out to play last night, and they didn't sneak back until after noon. They were discovered by the madam and scolded. Right now... right now they should be sleeping soundly in the East Garden, right?"
"Understood," Chen Ji said, and then went to the East Garden to look for him.
The gate to the East Garden was tightly closed. Chen Ji pushed it, and the bolt was actually pulled down from the inside.
He looked around, then lightly leaped into the courtyard, strode to the front of the main house, and lifted the curtain.
A charcoal brazier burned inside, filling the room with a warm, soothing aroma of alcohol. Moonlight streamed in through the white paper windows, making the room dimly lit.
Chen Ji slowly approached the bed, then lifted the blanket. Xu Shu, who was on the bed, heard the noise and groggily sat up: "Who the hell are you... be careful or I'll send you to the altar of death."
Chen Ji interrupted, "Uncle...where's Zhang Zheng?"
Xu Shu recognized him, then lay back down on the bed and said irritably, "You brat, I've sent you to the west wing. From now on, the main room is mine. Get lost and don't disturb my sleep."
Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Where did Uncle go last night?"
Xu Shu said impatiently, "Of course it's the Eight Great Hutongs. You even care about this? Get out!"
Chen Ji went out, then went to the west wing and lifted the curtain to peek inside through a crack.
Inside the room, Zhang Zheng was fast asleep under the covers, and Chen Ji didn't disturb him, just waiting quietly.
Just then, Xiaoman came running up with Wuyun in her arms and stood outside the door, asking curiously, "Hey, where's the young master? Didn't he come to the East Garden just now?"
Chen Ji pondered for a moment, then turned to open the door: "I'm here."
Xiaoman asked in confusion, "Why is Young Master in such a hurry to come to the East Garden?"
Chen Ji smiled and said, "It's nothing, I was just overthinking it."
Xiaoman, carrying Wuyun in one arm and tugging at his sleeve with the other, led him towards the main hall: "Don't run around like that! Madam clearly instructed that a tailor was invited to come and take your measurements today, and you're only just getting back... Hurry up, Madam's in a bad mood right now." (End of Chapter)