Aoyama

Chapter 338 Escape
Qipan Street and Dongjiang Rice Lane were filled with thick smoke, and the arsenic mixed in the bamboo tubes made it impossible for anyone to open their eyes.

Chen Ji covered his mouth and nose with the hem of his clothes and hid in the smoke. He did not rush towards Huitong Hall, but just stood aside with his eyes closed and waited silently.

Waiting for the Wucheng Bingmasi to be transferred away.

In the white smoke, the sedan bearers, clerks and officials who had just finished their work were choked and lost their way. They squinted their eyes and struggled to distinguish their surroundings.

Shop owners rushed out of the streetside bars and some shouted, "There's a fire! Put it out!"

"Where are the fire armors? Where are the fire soldiers from the Five Cities Army?"

"Quickly get the water bag!"

The capital city is dry, and there are hundreds of fires every year, some of which burn down a house, while others burn down an entire row of houses.

Qipan Street is the most lively place in the inner city. Every merchant pools money to set up a "water cabinet", in which the cowhide water bags can hold three stones of water.

Merchants also had to pay "fire and armor money" to the Wucheng Bingmasi every month. If they didn't pay, the Wucheng Bingmasi would just sit there and do nothing when a fire broke out. If they paid, the Wucheng Bingmasi would protect their home first.

Therefore, once a fire breaks out, the Wucheng Bingmasi will definitely put out the fire first.

Chen Ji closed his eyes and heard the sound of footsteps and armor rubbing against each other fading away. The nearby Wucheng Bingmasi turned around to get the cowhide bags for storing water from the "Shuiguifang".

But the Wucheng Bingmasi was transferred away, but Chen Ji remained motionless.

This time he would wait for the Secret Service to leave.

At this moment, the cinnabar in the bamboo tube was finally ignited, and the billowing white smoke turned into red smoke in an instant. When the people on the street saw the red smoke, they all shouted in fear: "There is a monster! It's a monster!"

"Demons are wreaking havoc in the capital!"

"Mars is coming!"

Someone suddenly shouted in the thick fog: "No, there may be an assassination attempt. Minister of Rites Chen Wende is here to protect you!"

"Protect the Minister of Works, Mr. Zhou!"

"Protect the head of the Ministry of Personnel!"

Hearing this, the spies outside the Lianhui Hall looked at each other, and someone whispered, "Do you want to go and take a look?"

"What are you looking at? Our duty is to keep an eye on these Korean envoys. Don't join in the fun."

Another secret agent shouted angrily, "What's so good about them? The government office has just been dismissed, and half of the clerks and officials of the six ministries are on this street. If an official is assassinated by the spies of the Jing Dynasty under our noses, you and I can go to Lingnan to fish and dry salt!"

"go!"

More than twenty secret agents sent half of them to check it out. Chen Ji felt relieved, as it was as he expected.

At first, Chen Ji was infected by Si Caogui's nervousness and thought that the secret agents blocked Huitong Hall in order to prevent spies from the Military Intelligence Department of Jing Dynasty.

But he changed his mind and felt that Si Caogui became nervous when he saw the secret spy and misunderstood the intention of the Secret Service.

Chen Ji knew very well that the assassination of the Goryeo envoy had long been determined to be suicide and had nothing to do with the Jing Dynasty. It was a means for the envoy to coerce the Celestial Empire, and even the Goryeo crown prince had confessed.

After the incident, the court ordered him not to leave Huitong Hall and did not convict him. Not only did they not convict him, but the court officials also discussed every day whether to send troops to help. If so, who should lead the troops? Which battalion should be sent?
After all, the Goryeo envoys were not criminals, but subjects of a vassal state.

Will the Jing Dynasty spies collude with the Goryeo envoys? No, the two sides have national hatred and family feuds, and there is no possibility of reconciliation.

Will Jing Dynasty spies assassinate Goryeo envoys? No, if the Goryeo prince is really killed in Ning Dynasty, Ning Dynasty will definitely lend a helping hand to Goryeo.

Therefore, those secret agents were only there to prevent Goryeo envoys from lobbying and bribing court officials, and to prevent them from taking radical actions again, not to guard against the military intelligence department of Jingchao.

Therefore, when the official and the envoy of a small country are in danger at the same time, the first choice of the Secret Service must be to protect the official.

Chen Ji covered his mouth and nose, squinted his eyes and stared in the direction of Dongjiang Mixiang. There should be only seven or eight spies left outside the Huitong Hall...but it was still not time.

At this time, thick smoke billowed out from the second floor of Huitong Hall, and panicked Korean voices could be heard from the windows.

Hundreds of Goryeo envoys rushed out of Huitong Hall. A spy drew his sword and shouted, "Go back! His Majesty has ordered that you are not allowed to step out of Huitong Hall without permission!"

But the fire in the house was so urgent, how could a few spies stop it?

When the Goryeo envoys saw the smoke in the house becoming thicker and thicker until the white smoke turned into red smoke, they immediately pushed each other and rushed out, mixing with ordinary people, sedan chair bearers, merchants, clerks, and officials on the street.

Chen Ji quickly searched for the secretary among the crowd.

When he was investigating the suicide case of the Goryeo envoy, he asked the middle-aged clerk for the registration list of Huitongguan. It was not difficult to recognize the other party... and he found him.

Chen Ji finally set off.

In the chaos, he covered his mouth and nose as he passed by the clerk, and their shoulders bumped into each other.

When they parted again, the clerk looked down at the wooden box stuffed in his hands. When he looked up to look for Chen Ji, Chen Ji had already merged into the crowd.

The goods were successfully delivered, but Chen Ji was not in a hurry to get away. At this time, there must be someone outside Dongjiang Rice Lane paying attention, and those who were eager to get away would definitely be remembered by the other party.

Chen Ji knew that the commotion here would definitely alert the Secret Service and the Jiefan Guard, but they might not be the first to arrive here.

……

……

The thick smoke in the bamboo tube lasted only half an incense stick of time before gradually dissipating, leaving hundreds of people at a loss on the long street. Some people were carrying wooden buckets, but didn't know where to pour the water.

There is no fire.

All buildings are intact.

Before everyone left, the sound of dense footsteps was heard in the distance.

Chen Ji covered his mouth and nose and turned to look, only to see the newly appointed commander of the Yulin Army, Wu Xuan Ge, leading more than 200 Zuo Xiaowei Yulin Army soldiers rushing over without even having time to change into their silver armor.

Compared with the Secret Service and the Jiefan Guard, the Yulin Army was the closest imperial guard to this place. The Right Guard had already returned home at 3 p.m., but the Left Guard was left in the Governor's Mansion by Wu Xuan Ge, so they must be the first to arrive.

Wu Xuan Ge stood in the long street and said loudly: "No one is allowed to leave until the truth is found out! Yulin soldiers, listen to my order, block all the alley entrances, and if anyone breaks in without permission, they will be killed without mercy!"

When the Yulin Army passed through the long street, Chen Ji covered his mouth and nose, lowered his head and coughed, and his coughing did not subside until the Yulin Army passed by.

In an instant, the Yulin Army was divided into more than ten teams and blocked Dongjiang Mixiang, Sanguanmiao Hutong and Yuhe Bridge.

A sedan bearer was carrying a sedan chair and was about to leave Dongjiang Mixiang from Yuhe Bridge, but was stopped by the Yulin Army.

A servant beside the sedan chair shouted angrily, "Do you know who is sitting in this sedan chair? Do you think you can stop the current Minister of Rites, Chen Lizhi? Get out of the way!"

The Yulin Army hesitated, as the Minister of Rites was already a very high official position.

But Wu Xuan Ge arrived and angrily scolded the Yulin soldiers: "Don't you even understand military orders? I said that no one can leave before the truth is found out, not to mention the Minister of Rites, even the Minister of Rites is not allowed to leave!" In the sedan chair, Chen Lizhi lifted the curtain with a bamboo stick, covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief and looked outside: "I thought it was some great general, but it turned out to be Wu Xiu's cousin. No wonder he doesn't even take the court officials seriously."

Wu Xuan Ge ignored the other party's sarcasm and just clasped his fists and said, "Master Chen, someone in the capital deliberately set fire and committed evil deeds. No matter how much this matter is said, even if it comes before the emperor, Wu is in the right."

Chen Lizhi lowered the curtain of the sedan chair and said, "Take care of yourself."

At this time, a Yulin soldier came to Wu Xuange and whispered, "Sir, the officials and clerks are all safe, and no one has been assassinated."

Wu Xuan Ge frowned and muttered to himself, "Everything is fine, so what did the murderer want to do? Could it be to steal?"

Another Yulin soldier came to Wu Xuan Ge with two burnt bamboo tubes and said, "Sir, we found the source of the smoke."

Wu Xuan Ge took the bamboo tube and put it to his nose to smell it. His expression suddenly changed: "Saltpeter? Sulfur? Quick, keep searching and see if there are any other suspicious objects!"

Saltpeter and sulfur are not uncommon, but the smoke coming out of the bamboo tube is far inferior to military firearms, and the power is far different.

The Ning Dynasty had twelve households of fireworks craftsmen who could make nine-linked lanterns, hundred-shot cannons and other tribute fireworks for the emperor; the Internal Affairs Bureau could also make frame fireworks such as the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea; the Medicine King Li family in Jizhou, the Nie family fireworks in Wanzai, Jiangzhou, and the Huqiu Fireworks Society in Suzhou all had "fire cards" for purchasing saltpeter and sulfur, with a purchase limit of 100 kilograms of saltpeter per card. Each family also had the skills to make such items, so it was not difficult.

But in this capital area, if anything related to saltpeter and sulfur happened, it would have to be thoroughly investigated from top to bottom, and all sources of saltpeter and sulfur must be traced.

This is a big taboo, even more taboo than using a bow and crossbow.

While Wu Xuange was thinking, another soldier brought an object, which was a wooden box the size of a palm.

He glanced at it and asked, "What are you doing with this thing?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard someone behind him say softly, "Everyone, we don't need the Yulin Army here. Let me take over the Secret Service Department, so that no one will cry thief."

The sound was obviously not loud, but it seemed to be able to pierce the eardrums and made the long street silent.

Black snake.

Wu Xuan Ge looked back and said in a deep voice: "Xuan Snake? There are some things that cannot be said carelessly. My Yulin Army has just arrived here. How can you say that the thief is crying "Catch the thief"? We are also for the safety of the capital. If you frame me without any evidence, I will go to the emperor to judge the matter."

The black snake's slender and narrow eyes were like two lancets, as if they were going to cut people's skin.

He wrapped himself in a black cloak, looked Wu Xuan Ge up and down, and then smiled: "I was wondering who dared to speak to me like that, it turned out to be General Wu. How come you think you can walk before the emperor just because you have Wu Xiu's support? Don't always ask to judge before the emperor. His Majesty is busy with his cultivation, and he doesn't have the time to judge cases for you."

"Sir Wu, I know you want to win credit for Wu Xiu," Xuanshe glanced at the bamboo tube in the hands of the Yulin Army, "but someone here used firearms, which is a major case of treason, and it may be related to the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department. This is the jurisdiction of my Secret Intelligence Department, even if Wu Xiu's Jiefan Guard comes, they have to move aside, General Wu, please go back."

Wu Xuan Ge's expression changed several times, but he finally sneered: "Then let's see if you can find the murderer."

At this moment, Xuanshe's eyes suddenly swept across the wooden box in Yulin Jun's hand and asked sternly, "What is this?"

The Yulin Army was stunned for a moment: "This is a wooden box we found on the street. I don't know who threw it away."

His eyes blurred and the black snake appeared in front of him without him noticing and snatched the wooden box away.

Black Snake raised the wooden box and held it close to his eyes, "It's sealed with wax!"

He opened it and saw that the wooden box was empty.

Xuanshe suddenly turned around and looked at everyone on the long street, his eyes sweeping across everyone's face: "It's not for murder or arson, I think it's just to give this thing away... But who are you going to give it to? You've put so much effort into it, it must be for someone I can't normally get in touch with."

At this point, he fixed his eyes on the Goryeo envoys: "Search, arrest those Goryeo envoys, and search them one by one according to the registration list!"

A secret agent whispered, "Sir, do you want to search for the Crown Prince of Goryeo?"

Xuanshe sneered: "What's the use of calling a prince or not? He is just a minister of a small country. Search him!"

Hundreds of secret agents rushed upon the Goryeo envoys, arrested them all, escorted them back to Huitong Hall, and stripped and searched them.

A moment later, the spy came to report: "Sir, we have searched all possible hiding places, but found nothing."

Black Snake frowned.

Seeing that he was so confident at first, but now he returned empty-handed, Wu Xuan Ge laughed and said, "Master Xuanshe, please investigate the case slowly here. We will return to the camp!"

After saying that, he turned and walked west.

Xuanshe said coldly: "Did I let you go?"

The spies all drew their swords and stood in front of Wu Xuan Ge.

Wu Xuan Ge turned around and opened his arms: "Why, Lord Xuanshe, do you still want to search me? My Yulin Army only came to Dongjiang Mixiang after it disappeared. It has nothing to do with this matter. If you can't find it, don't blame me for reporting you!"

Black Snake narrowed his eyes: "I didn't want to search at first, but now I have to search, search for me!"

The spy stepped forward, and Wu Xuan Ge shouted angrily, "Draw your sword and meet the enemy!"

The secret agents and the Imperial Guards were on the verge of a fight, facing each other on both sides of the long street.

At this time, a voice came lightly: "The murderer hasn't been found yet, and the Yulin Army is going to fight with my Secret Service Department? Could it be that you are really condoning the real murderer?"

Wu Xuan Ge turned around, his heart suddenly startled, and he quickly clasped his fists and said, "Master Bai Long, it's not that we intend to be enemies with the Secret Service, but this Xuan Snake is too arrogant and domineering."

The spies made way for a path, and the white-headed dragon wearing a white mask with dragon patterns and a white robe came between the Yulin Army and the spies.

He glanced at Xuanshe, then at the Yulin Army, and then waved to the secret agents: "Let them go, and remember to check their identity tokens one by one. No one is allowed to leave except the Yulin Army."

The spies didn't even bother to look at Xuanshe's expression and quickly responded, "Yes."

Wu Xuan Ge led two hundred soldiers of the Left Guard and showed their bronze medals one by one, then left without looking back.

Bai Long looked at Xuan She and said, "I just found a bamboo tube on the second floor of Huitong Hall. You are right. The criminals are indeed targeting the Goryeo envoys, but I don't know what is in the wooden box. Arrange your people to live in Huitong Hall and closely monitor everyone's movements. Don't let the criminals take advantage of you again."

Black Snake bowed and said, "Yes."

Bai Long lowered his head and looked at the humble Black Snake in front of him and smiled: "I know you want to fight for the top three positions vacated by Binghu, but don't be impatient. Impatience will not achieve anything great."

Black Snake felt the pressure from White Dragon and bent even lower: "I understand."

At the same time, after Wu Xuan Ge and others walked more than ten feet away, Chen Ji came to the two spies who were blocking the way and showed his bronze token. The spies glanced at him and waved their hands impatiently.

Chen Ji walked through the crowd, followed the Yulin Army for dozens of steps, and turned into an alley.

He walked calmly in the narrow and dark alley, gently brushing off the dust on his body.

He knew that the capital was going to be in chaos. As long as there was saltpeter and sulfur, the Secret Service would turn the capital upside down.

Even if Si Caogui has great courage, he will definitely choose to lie dormant for a while, and the entire Military Intelligence Department may have to fall silent.

Chen Ji let out a long breath. Si Caogui would come to see him again sooner or later, but before that, he still had a lot of things to do.

(End of this chapter)