Aoyama

The capital city was shrouded in night early.

Shops along the street dared not light up their lamps to do business, and there were far fewer pedestrians on the street.

Chen Ji ran wildly on the silent bluestone road, trying to grasp a fleeting clue: Han Tong had not failed to see him, but had already seen him, only in a more subtle way.

After Zhu Xiao took him hostage and drove him around in circles, they changed vehicles in a busy downtown area.

During the transfer, Zhu Xiao led Chen Ji through a street-side shop and stopped at the back door. The other party seemed to be waiting for a transfer carriage, but took the opportunity to ask him how he killed Consort Xue.

At that time, Chen Ji had two men from the canal gang with him. This was not something Zhu Xiao should ask, nor was it something the canal gang men should hear... Zhu Xiao was asking on behalf of Han Tong.

Han Tong was right next to him at the time!

Once Chen Ji figured this out, he also figured out where Han Tong was hiding... He was hiding in that shop.

But how do I find that shop? On which street is it located?
As Chen Ji ran frantically, he quickly pondered every clue: when he was riding in a horse-drawn carriage, the wooden wheels made a hard, grinding sound as they came into contact with the road surface, indicating that it must have been on the main road in the outer city that was paved with flagstones.

The roads in the capital were not smooth, and the bricks and stones used were also different.

The main roads in the inner city were mostly paved with large blue-white stone bricks, while the alleyways were mostly paved with small stone bricks; the road surfaces in the outer city were even more different. In the early years, several main roads were paved with giant stone slabs, while the alleyways were all rammed earth surfaces.

It is very easy to tell whether the wooden wheels of a horse-drawn carriage are pressing on stone slabs or rammed earth.

What were the main roads paved with flagstones in the outer city? There were only three: Xuanwumen Street, which was frequently used by officials and nobles; Guangningmen Street, which was used by envoys from other provinces when they entered the capital; and Zhengyangmen Street, which was used by Emperor Ning when he worshipped at the Altar of Mountains and Rivers.

Which one is it?
Before changing vehicles, Chen Ji had smelled a strong odor of cow dung in the carriage and a strong smell of grain and oil when entering the shop.

It's over at Guangning Gate.

Zhengyangmen Street is adjacent to the Eight Great Hutongs. The rent on both sides of the street is high, and most of the shops are taverns, with no grain and oil shops.

Xuanwumen Street was guarded by the Five City Garrison and was a route frequently used by officials and nobles. Although there was a smell of cow dung, it was not overpowering.

Only Guangning Gate remains.

In the long street at night, the traces of the past lead straight to Guangning Gate, where there are still cow dungs ​​that were not cleaned up during the day, and they still emit a strong grassy smell at night.

Chen Ji stood at Guangning Gate and looked into the city: Caishi Street, Luomashi Street, and Zhushikou, three roads connected end to end, stretching for several miles.

There are twenty-seven shops selling grain and oil along this main street. Which one is Han Tong hiding in? Chen Ji can't possibly break into each one one by one.

At this moment, Chen Ji kept his head down as he searched for the past, and finally stopped in front of a grain and oil shop on Luomashi Street. He looked up at the signboard, "Zhang's Grain and Oil".

This is the one.

When he was blindfolded and led into the shop, he pretended to trip on the threshold, but actually used this as cover to leave a mark on the threshold with his sword.

Chen Ji took a deep breath and raised his hand to knock on the door.

dong dong dong.

No one responded from inside the door.

Chen Ji stood calmly outside the door, but he could almost sense that Han Tong had already come to the door and was quietly gazing at him through the door panel.

Chen Ji spoke up, "Chief Han, I've come alone."

A moment later, the grain and oil shop opened a crack, and in the dimly lit shop, Han Tongtou looked at him coldly: "Where is Zhu Xiao?"

Chen Ji remained expressionless: "He's dead. I killed him."

Han Tong narrowed his eyes slightly: "You killed Zhu Xiao, and you still dare to come see me alone?"

Chen Ji calmly said, "I sincerely wanted to discuss with Chief Han how to rescue Princess Baili. Chief Han ordered Zhu Xiao to kill me, so it is only right for me to kill him."

Han Tong spoke menacingly through the crack in the door, "Aren't you afraid of death?"

Chen Ji stared into his eyes: "If I were afraid of death, I wouldn't have come to the capital. Chief Han, I don't owe you anything. You don't need to be so aggressive. I used you to distract Jiao Tu and Yun Yang in Luo City to save the princess. That's what you owe the princess as her father, not what I owe you."

Han Tong was silent for a moment: "If you had the ability to save her, she wouldn't be in Jingyang Palace now."

This time, Chen Ji fell silent. Han Tong was unaware that he had already rescued the Crown Prince, but had almost rescued Bai Li. Han Tong also didn't know how he had made his way to the capital, and he couldn't say.

After a long silence, Chen Ji spoke: "This time it will definitely work."

Han Tong sneered: "How can you be so sure you can get her out this time? How can I believe you haven't colluded with the eunuch faction?"

Chen Ji said sincerely, "Although Chief Han is cautious, if I had joined forces with the eunuch faction, you would already be surrounded by troops. There's no need to waste any more words with you. This is the capital. Tell me, if the Secret Service's Zodiac Team arrives, what are the chances that Chief Han can escape?"

Han Tong stood through the crack in the door, carefully observing Chen Ji's expression, trying to discern whether Chen Ji was lying.

He listened quietly to the wind in the night, his expression finally softening slightly: "Tell me, who set fire to Cining Palace? And who killed Consort Xue right under the noses of the Jiefan Guard? This matter is too strange. The perpetrator didn't even leave a footprint in Yikun Palace, so much so that even the Jiefan Guard couldn't find a clue. If it weren't for the Jiefan Guard helping you, how could they have done it? Could it be that the Empress's spirit killed Consort Xue?"

Chen Ji suddenly realized that Wu Yun's methods in killing Consort Xue were too bizarre, so much so that Han Tong couldn't figure it out and could only attribute it to Jie Fanwei. He shook his head: "Chief Han, you don't need to know how I killed her. I killed her only to prove that I am qualified to join forces with you."

Han Tong examined Chen Ji: "As far as I know, you and Bai Li have only known each other for a few months. Why were you willing to risk your life to save her?"

Chen Ji pondered for a long time: "Trying to find a sword by marking the boat."

Han Tong asked in confusion: "Is this like marking a boat to find a lost sword?"

The next moment, Chen Ji pushed his way through the crack in the door as if no one else was there. Han Tong's expression turned cold, but he didn't make a move. He simply closed the door behind him.

Chen Ji found a chair and sat down: "Chief Han, who exactly leaked the information this time? How could someone know in advance that the Canal Gang was looking for someone who looks like Princess Baili?"

Han Tong sat down opposite him: "Bian Xiang, one of the four pillars and eight beams of our Canal Gang, was killed yesterday."

Only Han Tong and Chen Ji were in the dimly lit room. Chen Ji suddenly asked, "Why did the imperial court arrest you?"

Han Tong drew a short knife and rubbed it between his fingers: "The Cao Gang has more than 100,000 members, and no one wants such a behemoth next to their bed."

Chen Ji shook his head: "Not enough."

Using internal methods, they could subtly dismantle the canal gang without risking Han Tong's life. Even the Liu family has fallen; dismantling the canal gang wouldn't be more difficult than dismantling the Liu family.

Han Tong added, "The goods shipped by the Chen and Xu families must first pass through the canal to reach the port. By controlling the canal gangs, we can also control the Chen and Xu families."

Chen Ji shook his head again: "It's still not enough."

While overseas trade could yield a large amount of silver, it was not as important as the improvement of firearms.

Han Tong said coldly, "This isn't enough, that isn't enough, what exactly do you want to ask?"

Chen Ji asked in a deep voice, "Do you know the whereabouts of the Imperial Seal of the State?"

Han Tong was taken aback: "I've never seen this before."

"really?"

"really."

Chen Ji also became puzzled. What was the purpose of that Grand Chancellor who had been sitting in the Jie Fan Lou for decades? Was it a long-planned scheme or a spur-of-the-moment decision?

Does the increase in fertile land production and the improvement of firearms really mean nothing to the other side?
The grain and oil shop remained silent for a long time, with only a few mosquitoes flapping their wings and making a buzzing sound.

Han Tong asked in a deep voice, "You said there's a way to save the white carp, but how exactly do you do it?"

Chen Ji looked up at Han Tong in the darkness, his hands on his knees slowly clenching into fists: "I'll trade you my life."

In an instant, it was as if a taut string was slowly sliced ​​through the air in the darkness, and all the mosquitoes fell silent and landed on the ground.

Han Tong sneered: "A mere official at the Innate Realm, coming to me to seek death?"

Chen Ji said softly, "You are willing to wait until the princess arrives in Annam before rescuing her, but I am not. Now someone wants me to use your life to exchange for Bai Li's life, and I have no choice but to do so. Chief Han, I have my own plan. Today I will take you into the inner prison to exchange for the princess. Once the princess regains her freedom, I will rescue you."

Han Tong rubbed the calluses on his fingertips against the blade repeatedly, making a chilling sound: "How does the man from Wuxiang County plan to save me?"

Chen Ji shook his head: "I can't say."

Han Tong stopped speaking: "If you were capable of rescuing me from the inner prison, you would have rescued Bai Li long ago. This is just an excuse to trick me into surrendering."

Chen Ji said confidently, "Don't worry, Chief Han, I will definitely rescue you. Rescuing you is easier than rescuing the princess."

Han Tong leaned forward slightly: "What if I say no?"

The next moment, Chen Ji suddenly stood up and lunged forward.

Han Tong slashed horizontally with his short sword, but Chen Ji actually reached out his left hand to grab the blade and, despite the excruciating pain, punched Han Tong in the abdomen.

But the punch failed to land on Han Tong.

Han Tong drew his sword with all his might and took a step back to dodge a punch, but Chen Ji held on tightly to the sword and took a step forward with Han Tong, directing the sword.

He pretended to be Zhang Xia using the Cloud-Covering Sword Qi, and in the darkness, he used the sword to stab Han Tong's thigh.

Han Tong was startled and kicked him away with lightning speed. The kick from the Dao Seeking Realm official instantly broke three of Chen Ji's ribs. Chen Ji could no longer hold the blade and flew backward, smashing the wooden barrel containing the grain.

Chen Ji braced himself with his arms and slowly stood up, vomiting a mouthful of blood.

Han Tong looked down at his thigh, where blood was gushing out. He tore off a piece of his shirt to bind the wound and stop the bleeding: "Your skills have improved, but not enough. Kid, if you want to fight me to the death, how many lives do you have to fight?"

Unseen by Han Tong, the second mark on Chen Ji's waist and ribs gradually faded, the wound on his hand healed instantly, and the broken ribs were rejoined one by one.

Chen Ji wiped the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand: "Fight for as many as you can." (End of Chapter)