Aoyama

Chapter 490 Knife
At dawn, the rooster crowed.

Chen Ji opened his eyes as he lay on the canopy bed in Ginkgo Garden. It had been a long time since he had slept on a soft couch, and he was still a little unaccustomed to returning to the Chen family on Fuyou Street and sleeping on this bed wrapped in silk and cotton.

The outside was quiet, and Xiaoman finally stopped stubbornly staying by his bedside.

Chen Ji got up, put on clean, dry clothes, rolled up his sleeves, went out to the side room, picked up a carrying pole, and headed towards the well.

For some reason, no matter how far he traveled or how many things he experienced, as long as he picked up the carrying pole again, his mind would calm down.

It's as if everything can return to its starting point the moment the carrying pole is picked up.

Once he left the capital, he was the Grand Commander of the Beijing Garrison, carrying a secret imperial decree. But upon returning to the capital, he became the Chen family's illegitimate son again, without any official position, which made things much easier for him.

Chen Ji was slightly taken aback when he unlatched the gate to Ginkgo Garden. He saw more than ten maids and servants standing silently outside the gate, carrying basins of water, handkerchiefs, and food boxes.

He hesitated and said, "You..."

Bai Lu, the maid who had previously helped Chen Ji recall the clue of "phoenix crown and blue floral headdress", stepped forward and gave a curtsy: "Young master, it was the eldest mistress who instructed us to serve at Ginkgo Garden. She said you can move to Yuanxiang Hall where the second wife originally lived, or you can move to Qingzhu Garden where the third master lived. Both are much more spacious than Ginkgo Garden... But if you don't want to move, you can do whatever you want."

The so-called "Madam" should be the first wife of Chen Lizun, the first son's husband.

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "There's no need to wait at Ginkgo Garden, and we don't need anyone to serve us here. Don't come again."

Bai Lu hurriedly said, "You don't have to use it, but you can't be without it... If you really send us away, we might be sold off to the mansion."

Chen Ji walked towards the well without looking back: "Leaving here might not be a bad thing. Let's disperse."

The maids and servants looked at each other, seemingly not expecting Chen Ji to be so ruthless, and all the flattery they had prepared was now useless.

When Chen Ji returned to Ginkgo Garden with water, the people in front of the gate had already dispersed.

Xiaoman took the carrying pole from his shoulder and muttered softly, "I was just worried that you might soften your heart."

Chen Ji smiled and said, "I already have enough karma on my hands. I can't bear the fate of others. Just mind your own business."

Xiaoman continued to mutter, "Young master, just don't be a pushover like before. Anyway, none of the servants in the Chen family who can serve as first or second-class maids for the various masters are easy to deal with. The truly honest ones have all been sent to do hard labor."

Chen Ji chuckled and teased, "Like you?"

The young monk muttered, "She wasn't exactly well-behaved either..."

Xiaoman carried the water bucket toward the side room. Upon hearing this, she turned around and glared fiercely at the little monk: "If you don't speak, no one will think you're mute. Hurry up and recite the sutra. Recite the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Sutra once before breakfast, or you won't get any food."

The little monk shrank his neck.

As Xiaoman poured water into the water vat, her eyes darted around as she tentatively asked, "What important business does the young master have today?"

Chen Ji asked in confusion, "Isn't it something important? What's wrong?"

Xiaoman hurriedly said, "We missed the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month when we went to Chongli Pass. According to the custom, men should wear mugwort leaves, and women should wear five-poison talismans in their hair to ward off evil spirits. We didn't care about anything at the time. Also, these days, the pine forest of the Temple of Heaven, the water gate west of Deshengmen, and Manjing outside Andingmen are all very lively. There are many tourists enjoying the spring scenery, and vendors carrying baskets selling bamboo tube rice dumplings filled with candied dates, walnuts, pine nuts, and red dates. Farmers are also carrying freshly picked mulberries, cherries, and pomegranates..."

Chen Ji chuckled and said, "Since we have nothing else to do, if you want to go, let's go to Manjing for a stroll today."

Xiaoman beamed, "Young Master is the best!"

However, at that moment, a servant came to the gate of Ginkgo Garden and announced: "Young master, Qi Jiaqi from the side gate has come to visit you. He says he has something important to discuss with you. Please change into your official robes and go with him."

Xiaoman's face fell: "Why is he here? It can't be anything good!"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment: "It must be related to Princess Li Yang... Strange, today is the day Princess Li Yang is to enter the palace for an audience, what could possibly go wrong?"

He changed into a red official robe adorned with a qilin (mythical creature) and walked outside.

Just as they stepped out of the side door, Qi Zhenzhuo, dressed in the silver armor of the Imperial Guard, came up to them and grabbed Chen Ji's wrist: "Master, come with me quickly, it's too late."

Chen Ji let him hold his wrist and asked curiously, "What exactly happened?"

Qi Zhenzhuo sighed, "I don't know what's wrong with Princess Liyang. The palace maids have all helped her change her clothes, but she refuses to leave the Huitong Hall. She says that you must escort her into the palace, otherwise she's afraid someone will assassinate her! The officials of the Court of State Ceremonial are almost frantic outside the gate, but we can't just tie her up and take her into the palace, can we?"

Chen Ji raised an eyebrow, unaware of what trouble Princess Li Yang was up to: "Was there anything unusual at the meeting place last night?"

Qi Zhenzhu complained, "What strange movement is there? The Huitong Hall is full of our Imperial Guards. The Commander sat on the roof with his Flying White Sword and guarded it all night. There are also spies from the Secret Service acting as sentries on the outer perimeter. Who would dare to assassinate her? I think she's just afraid of dying. When we send her food, she watches my Imperial Guards eat for three hours before she'll eat a cold bite. She's extremely cautious."

When the two arrived at the Huitong Hall in Mixiang, Dongjiao, Princess Liyang was standing by the window on the second floor, smiling and waving to Chen Ji.

She was still wearing that dignified ceremonial robe, but her hair was styled back into the Jinghong bun. Her face was made a little whiter with powder, just like the Jingren women, and a small plum blossom was drawn on her brow with rouge. Qi Zhenzhu muttered softly, "The Jingren woman's makeup is too heavy. It's not as elegant as my Ningchao style... Master, I'll go get your horse."

Qi Zhenzhuo took the lead and Chen Ji was about to turn into the East Suburb Rice Lane when he saw Jiao Tu and Yun Yang with their arms crossed over their chests, leaning against the corner of the wall.

As Chen Ji passed by the two, Jiao Tu smiled and said in a barely audible voice, "Greetings, Lord Chen. Thank you for speaking well of me to the Grand Chancellor. From now on, Yun Yang and I will be the most loyal of the twelve zodiac animals under your command."

Chen Ji ignored him, presumably the two had regained their positions in the zodiac.

On the other side, Xuan She, wearing a black cloak, sat in a breakfast stall, slowly drinking a bowl of millet porridge, while more than ten spies stood in front of the stall.

Previously, more than two hundred Goryeo envoys died at the Huitong Hall. If Princess Liyang were to suffer an accident now, many more would likely lose their heads.

With such tight security, even if Si Cao Gui led dozens of spies to risk their lives to assassinate him, they would be powerless to do so.

By the time Chen Ji reached the entrance of the meeting hall, Princess Li Yang had already descended the stairs, carrying the hem of her ceremonial robe.

Chen Ji frowned and asked, "What does Your Highness mean by this?"

Princess Liyang said frankly, "I am afraid of dying."

This left Chen Ji speechless.

The waiting official of the Court of State Ceremonial hurriedly invited Princess Liyang to sit in the palanquin, but Princess Liyang refused: "I can walk. Please keep away from me. Except for the man of Wuxiang County, no one is allowed to come within five steps."

The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial frowned and said, "This is against the rules."

Princess Liyang said calmly, "These are the rules of your Southern Dynasty, not the rules of my Jing Dynasty. I am a princess of the Jing Dynasty, why should I abide by your rules? If you do not agree, I will return to the Huitong Hall."

The Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial's expression changed, but he ultimately waved his hand helplessly.

The ceremonial procession set off, and the Imperial Guards mounted their horses, escorting Princess Liyang toward the Forbidden City, leaving Chen Ji alone by her side.

Chen Ji said calmly, "Your Highness's foot injury hasn't healed yet, why make things difficult for yourself? Besides, with such tight security, who can do anything to you?"

Princess Liyang walked proudly through the chessboard street: "I have finally come this far. Face belongs to others, but life belongs to me. It is not wrong to be vigilant. Lord Chen, do not underestimate Lu Jin. He has been running the Military Intelligence Bureau for more than ten years. Your Ning Dynasty has long been infiltrated by him. Who knows who is his man? It could be a minor official carrying a palanquin, or it could be a member of the Imperial Guard. It is all possible."

Chen Ji's heart stirred. Princess Li Yang was not wrong; even he was a member of the Military Intelligence Bureau.

He said casually, "Isn't Your Highness afraid that I'll kill you?"

Princess Liyang smiled and said, "Lord Chen has already saved my life several times. Now, anyone in Ning Dynasty might want to kill me, but you are the only one who cannot. Otherwise, why did you go to all that trouble before? You are my biggest backer in Ning Dynasty."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Princess Liyang glanced at him: "Lord Chen, you must be careful of Lu Jin. I joined forces with the Jiang family to force him to step down. We finally managed to place Lu Guanwu in there, but Lu Guanwu spent a year and still couldn't figure out the details of the Military Intelligence Bureau. We also managed to turn two of the bureau chiefs against us, but one of them died mysteriously."

Chen Ji was stunned. So Lu Guanwu was actually Princess Liyang's man.

The shopkeeper Yuan he killed earlier was probably the person the other party was talking about.

He pondered for a moment, then tentatively asked, "Who is the other clerk?"

Princess Liyang covered her mouth and laughed, "Does Lord Chen think I'm a fool? How can I tell you something like this so easily? I'm counting on him to come in handy someday."

Chen Ji said in a low voice, "Your Highness previously said that you could be a spy for my Ning Dynasty."

Princess Liyang corrected her, "No, no, no, it's about being Lord Chen's spy, not Ning Dynasty's spy."

Chen Ji frowned: "What's the difference?"

Princess Liyang smiled and said, "The difference is huge... Although I cannot betray my own people, I can provide Lord Chen with some clues and try to find other people in the Military Intelligence Bureau. If Lord Chen makes a contribution, don't forget me."

Chen Ji's heart skipped a beat, and he lowered his voice to ask, "Do you know any clues about whom?"

Princess Liyang calmly replied, "Military Intelligence Division, Chief."

Chen Ji calmly replied, "Your Highness intends to use me as a tool to eliminate Lu Jin's supporters? Your plan is quite shrewd."

Princess Liyang wasn't embarrassed at having her thoughts exposed. Instead, she turned to him with a smile and said, "Lord Chen, are you willing to make this knife? You should be, right?"

(End of this chapter)