Aoyama

Chapter 347 Departure
Bai Long stood by the bank of Taiye Lake, his hands folded in his wide sleeves, thinking quietly. Chen Ji sat in the shadow of the rockery, waiting patiently without saying another word.

When planting the seeds of suspicion in the heart of the superior, just mention it briefly, and any more words will be superfluous. The superior has the arrogance of the superior, they never believe other people's answers, they only believe their own speculations.

Time passed little by little, and the white dragon stood still like a sculpture.

After a long time, Bai Long slowly said, "You are right. The only way to bring the poison into Huitong Hall is to hide the poison with one's own life."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Bai Long pondered for a moment and said, "Who would take such a risky move? The Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department? The Chen family and the Xu family also have the motive and ability to do this."

Chen Ji's heart sank, fearing that Bai Long would associate it with the Chen and Xu families again. He was unwilling to believe that this was done by the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department.

But Bai Long changed the subject: "However, it is better to believe it than not. If it is a trap set by the Jing Dynasty, it may lead to disaster. You can go back. I will make the decision. If it is confirmed that this matter was done by the spies of the Jing Dynasty, I will remember your merit."

Chen Ji hurriedly said: "I don't want this credit, I just want you to keep your promise and give me the convenience of the salt field."

Bai Long glanced at him and said, "Send me the photo of your seal tomorrow, and I will send a fast horse to deliver it to the fifty-nine salt fields. From now on, salt permits with your seal on them will be given priority in exchanging salt."

Chen Ji breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Thank you, sir. I'll take my leave."

Bai Long suddenly called him: "Wait."

Chen Ji's retreating figure suddenly stopped: "Master Bailong, do you have any other instructions?"

Bai Long said calmly: "The promise between you and Mr. Feng is still valid between you and me. You work for Bai Long, and Bai Long will help you rescue Princess Baili. Also, don't always gamble with your life. Winning once may not be the final word, but losing once may mean the end of everything."

Chen Ji was slightly startled. Who was this Bai Long? Why did he always feel like he was facing someone he knew?

The strange thing is that the posture and demeanor of this new white dragon are exactly the same as the previous white dragon, even the voice is exactly the same, but the person under the mask is clearly different.

He raised his head and looked at the mask quietly. Could it be because of the mask?

Bai Long sneered: "You are quite courageous. You dare to look up at me."

Chen Ji lowered his head again and said, "May I ask, Lord Bailong, how is the princess doing in Jingyang Palace?"

Bai Long said calmly: "Now Wu Xiu controls the Jiefan Guard and has banned secret agents like us from walking in the palace. Don't worry, she won't die in the palace, she will just suffer a little."

Wu Xiu.

Chen Ji whispered, "I understand."

Bai Long looked at him for a moment, and then asked, "I heard that the Chen family wants to marry into the Qi family, and they also want to adopt you to the eldest son, Chen Lizun. If nothing unexpected happens, you will be able to inherit the huge Chen family business in a few more years, and you will be able to turn your life around. Why do you have to live on the edge of a knife and lick blood?"

Chen Ji's heart moved.

Mr. Feng doesn't care about his own life or death. The other party only cares about whether he is useful and whether he can serve him.

But this Bai Long thought more. He first told himself not to gamble with his life, and then advised himself to inherit the Chen family business well?

Now who is this white dragon...
Chen Ji pondered for a few breaths, then cautiously asked, "Lord Bailong, when I was outside Luhun Villa, I promised Prince Jing that I would take good care of Princess Baili..."

Before he could finish, Bai Long saw through his thoughts and sneered, "You have not officially held a position in my Secret Service, so you don't know that the scholars in Luhun Villa and Qiansui Army have spies in my Secret Service. If you lie again, or if I find out that you are testing me with words again, you will lose your life."

Chen Ji lowered his head and said, "If you have nothing else to say, my lord, I will take my leave."

Bai Long waved his hand and said, "Go ahead."

Chen Ji slowly retreated until he walked out of Taiye Lake. He suddenly felt relieved, but then his mood became heavy again.

The task that the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department forced him to complete would require him to spend several times more effort to get it back on track. He didn't know when these days of cautiously surviving in the cracks would end.

Chen Ji looked up at the sky and saw that it was covered with dark clouds and the night was long and dark.

……

……

The next morning, Chen Ji fetched water and went out.

When he pushed open the side door of Qinzheng Garden, he thought he would see Qi Zhuozhuo and others, but he found that the door was empty. The small alley with gray tiles and white walls was quiet, with only the two stone lions of the Chen family standing there, no longer lively as before.

Chen Ji didn't care. He walked alone along the bluestone road wet by the morning mist to report to the Governor's Mansion.

When they arrived at the Governor's Mansion, only the Left Guard was on the parade ground, but the Right Guard was nowhere to be seen.

Chen Ji turned an inquiring look towards Zuo Xiaowei, and a Yulin soldier silently pointed at the tower of the Governor's Mansion.

He walked to the Governor's Mansion and pushed open the vermilion wooden door. A smell of sweat mixed with alcohol hit him in the face.

Chen Ji frowned, and saw Qi Zhuozhuo leaning on a chair and snoring. In the building, the Yulin soldiers were lying on the ground in a crooked manner, including Li Xuan.

I think these people went to the Eight Great Hutongs and did not return all night, and only came back to report for duty when the inner city opened in the morning.

Upon hearing the door open, Qi Chenzhuo slowly raised his head.

He saw Chen Ji standing at the door with his back to the light; he could only see his outline but not his expression.

Qi Zhuozhuo leaned back in his chair, grinning drunkenly, "Master, you're here. It was a pity that you didn't go with us to the Eight Great Hutongs yesterday. Liu Xingshou from Nanjing came to Baishun Hutong. She sang the Four Seasons Song, and her voice sounded like an oriole, very beautiful. Southern women sing so softly that it makes people's souls float on the beams. If it weren't for the roof, my soul would have flown to the Purple Star."

Chen Ji ignored him and walked straight to the table, picked up the teapot, opened the lid, and poured the cold tea in the pot on Qi Zhuozhu's face. "Ah!" Qi Zhuozhu wiped his face: "Master, what are you doing?"

Chen Ji asked calmly, "Are you sober? If you don't like drinking, don't drink. Is Ziwei Emperor Star a place you can go? Do you want to be the master of Dou Shu and have the fate of an emperor? Are you worthy? If this gets out, the Qi family can't protect you."

Qi Chenzhuo woke up on the spot and felt a little scared.

He whispered, "Master, I don't want to be a member of this useless Yulin Army anymore."

Chen Ji turned and walked out of the house: "Mud is mud. If you don't want to be a Yulin Army soldier, just resign. No one will stop you."

Qi Chenzhuo stood up and followed him: "I used to envy the three major camps in front of the emperor for their achievements, but I knew that I was useless, so I didn't dare to go even if my brother agreed. But now I have the determination to work hard, but my family has stopped my brother-in-law and I from thinking about it."

Chen Ji was silent for a moment, and without turning his head, he said: "If you want to achieve success, you don't have to fight on the battlefield, and you don't have to kill people."

Qi Chenzhuo's eyes lit up: "Master, could it be that you have a new idea? What do you want us to do?"

Chen Ji said casually: "I need you to get some cold water and pour it on all those drunkards to wake them up."

Qi hesitated and said, "This is not good..."

Chen Ji said in a deep voice: "Go."

Qi Chenzhuo hurriedly fled and went to find the basin.

When Chen Ji arrived outside the gate, he saw clerks from various departments wearing green official uniforms coming in and out in an endless stream on the stone steps of the Ministry of War across Daming Street. There were also red-robed officials hurriedly getting on the carriages holding imperial edicts and military books in their hands.

Soon after, another soldier in armor came to the door and left with an imperial decree.

It was the first time that Chen Ji saw such a bustling scene in front of the six ministries. There was no such scene even when the work was over.

There's going to be a war.

Chen Ji turned his head and looked towards the Meridian Gate in the north, but it was quiet. He waited for a long time, but no imperial decree was heard.

He took a few steps forward and grabbed a green-robed clerk: "What are you doing?"

The clerk, holding the document in his arms, looked at Chen Ji in surprise, shook his shoulders to signal him to let go, "Why are you pulling me? You've even ripped my clothes askew."

Chen Ji clenched his palms and said in a deep voice: "Let me ask you, what are you doing?"

The clerk felt a sharp pain in his arm, and he leaned over and replied hurriedly, "Of course, the Pingdong Army is going to the battle. At noon, a grand ceremony will be held at the Shanchuan Altar to pray for good weather and a smooth sea route. Let go quickly, it's already Si time, and I have to hurry back to the Honglu Temple to report."

Chen Ji slowly loosened his hand and turned to look towards Zhengyang Gate.

A grand march to war?

He turned around and got a horse out of the Governor's Mansion and climbed on it. At this moment, Qi Zhuozhuo ran out of the Governor's Mansion, still shouting, "Master, where are you going?"

Chen Ji didn't answer, but rode away at full speed.

After exiting Zhengyang Gate, walk south along Zhengyang Street to reach the overpass. On the east side of the overpass is the Temple of Heaven, and on the west side is the Temple of Mountains and Rivers. In the Temple of Mountains and Rivers, there are the Flag and Banner Temple, the Temple of Gods, the Temple of Earthly Gods, the Temple of Tai Sui, the Temple of the God of Agriculture, and the Palace of Abstinence, which are places for worshipping the gods of wind, cloud, thunder, rain, and the Five Sacred Mountains.

Chen Ji crouched down and turned his head away, riding a horse fast through Zhengyang Street. The wind was so strong that he could hardly open his eyes.

When they were almost at the overpass, they saw countless people waiting outside the Shanchuan Altar to watch the excitement. Suddenly, they heard three cannon shots from inside the altar, and someone inside the altar shouted loudly, "Three cannon shots have been fired, march out!"

Then some soldiers shouted: "Victory!"

Chen Ji's heart sank.

Outside the Shanchuan Altar, an executioner led out a white bull, raised his knife, and chopped off the bull's head with one blow. Blood flowed out and seeped into the cracks in the bricks.

A group of people walked out slowly, stepping on the white cow's blood and heading towards the Yongding Gate.

In the team, Wang Daosheng was the first on horseback, with a tiger-skin saddle and a red tassel on the bridle. Behind him, the expeditionary lieutenant generals and guerrillas were wearing armor and helmets. One of them held a five-colored dragon flag symbolizing imperial power, and the other held a general flag with the two characters "Pingdong". The flagpole was covered with red lacquer and decorated with a copper tiger head on the top.

The people outside the Shanchuan Altar were so excited that their blood boiled. Someone in the crowd shouted, "The heavenly soldiers are mighty and victorious!"

Then there was a surge of sound like mountains and seas.

No one thought this would be a losing battle.

Chen Ji gripped the reins tightly and stood still in the crowd in a daze.

Could it be that Bai Long didn't report this matter at all?

Or is there another hidden story?

Chen Ji wanted to ride his horse forward and get closer to the team to try to remind Wang Daosheng of the trap, but the crowd was so crowded that he was pushed further and further away.

However, just as he was about to dismount, he saw a man wearing iron armor among the guerrilla generals accompanying Mr. Wang. He was hiding in the crowd and looked back with a smile, and waved his hand gently as if saying goodbye to the people.

Chen Ji barely recognized the other man because of his beard, but he couldn't mistake that polite, confident smile.

It’s Mr. Feng.

In the crowd, Mr. Feng moved his lips and said silently, see you later.

(End of this chapter)