Chapter 161: White Boat Record

The dark stone stairs were silent, no wind, and it was unknown where they led.

Chen Ji looked at the deep stone stairs, pondering whether, as long as he passed through this underground tunnel, he could find out who Jing Wang was conspiring with and what they were conspiring about.

Perhaps at that moment, many mysteries that had puzzled him for a long time would be easily solved.

Jing Wang held an oil lamp and walked down the stone stairs. He turned back and saw Chen Ji standing at the cave entrance, hesitating and not moving. He asked in confusion, "Go ahead."

Chen Ji was suddenly a little hesitant. "Wang Ye, where does this secret path lead? If I see people I shouldn't see, and matters I shouldn't see, will I be silenced?"

Jing Wang laughed and cried. "What are you thinking about all day? Relax, no one wants to silence you. Besides, leave that knife in your hand with your master for safekeeping. Such a long knife, even without a sheath, is too eye-catching to bring out."

Chen Ji thought for a moment. As he leaned the Whale Knife against the wall inside the room, he casually asked the old man Yao, "Master, when you came to Luo City three years ago, was it arranged in advance with Jing Wang?"

The old man Yao glanced at him sideways. "Stop trying to trick me. Get lost."

Chen Ji said, "Oh."

He lowered his head slightly and followed Jing Wang into the extremely narrow tunnel.

In the dimness, only the weak flame in Jing Wang's hand flickered, casting Jing Wang's shadow infinitely long in the tunnel.

With every step Chen Ji took, he became more vigilant.

He was about to see that mysterious important figure. What kind of person was the other party? Could they trust him like his master and Jing Wang did?

He didn't know at all.

After walking for about several dozen breaths, Jing Wang raised the oil lamp and climbed the stairs. Chen Ji took a deep breath and then followed.

The next moment, he was a little astonished.

There was no important figure here, nor were there any attendants. All that remained was an empty shop.

Chen Ji looked at the surrounding furnishings, which were somewhat familiar. "Wang Ye, isn't this the Wang Ji Meat Shop on Anxi Street?"

Jing Wang replied, "Correct. This Wang Ji Meat Shop was originally part of the Wang Fu's property, and its business has always been pretty good."

While Jing Wang wasn't paying attention, Chen Ji casually touched the candlestick on the table. The white wax had not yet fully solidified, meaning it had just been extinguished not long ago. The person who met secretly with Jing Wang had just left.

But since the person who met secretly had already left, why was Jing Wang still here?

Chen Ji asked, "Wang Ye, the person you wanted to see?"

Jing Wang was amused. "When did I say I wanted to come see people? I might not have said that."

Chen Ji looked up, only to see that Jing Wang had already blown out the oil lamp and opened the meat shop door, walking out onto the street. He stood under the moonlight, turned back and waved to him. "What are you standing around for? Hurry, we're running out of time."

He walked towards the door, but before he went out, he pulled Jing Wang back into the shadows of the meat shop.

Jing Wang was puzzled. "What's wrong?"

In the dark night, a carriage was hurriedly rolling over the snow on the road, driving towards the east.

The carriage was plain and undecorated. As Jing Wang and Chen Ji watched, the window curtain lifted slightly, and a person quietly looked out, still urging the driver to go faster.

After the carriage drove past, Jing Wang stood in the wind brought by the carriage and asked with a smile, "How many people do you think are inside this carriage?"

Chen Ji recalled that the carriage just now wasn't large, but the horses pulling it were somewhat strenuous. He thought that there were at least two people inside, maybe even three.

Who were the other people inside the carriage? Yun Fei.

At this critical moment, Jing Wang was 'seriously ill,' yet Yun Fei had quietly left the Wang Fu under the cover of night. This matter could be big or small.

Chen Ji observed Jing Wang's expression sideways and said cautiously, "Wang Ye, I can't tell how many people are in the carriage."

Jing Wang was amused. "Playing sly."

He looked at the back of the carriage speeding away into the night and chuckled softly. "Generals who don't dismount each rush towards their future. Let's go, we still have important matters."

Luo City, Tongji Street, a gathering place for wealthy merchants, and also the place where Chen Ji assassinated the shopkeeper Yuan.

The entire long street had forty-eight courtyards. The front twelve courtyards occupied a very wide area, each of which had invited Jiangnan water garden artists to build them, with pavilions and towers, jokingly called 'Tian Kui' by ordinary people. The back thirty-six were smaller, jokingly called 'Di Kui' by ordinary people.

However, whether Tian Kui or Di Kui, the rise and fall of the master families were like flowing water, only the pavilions and towers remained unchanged.

At this time on the bluestone road of Tongji Street, carriages were parked in a line. Coachmen and young servants with their hands tucked in their sleeves gathered in twos and threes at the foot of the gray tile wall, bragging and chatting with women.

Today was the wedding of the eldest son of the Lin Yuanwai family in 'Tian Kui.' The street was decorated with lanterns and banners. On the bluestone road, a red character of 'joy' was pasted every five steps.

Inside the courtyard of the Lin Fu, guests gathered, and dozens of tables were set up for the flowing banquet.

Jing Wang stood at the entrance of the Lin Fu, raised his head to confirm the plaque, and said with a smile to Chen Ji, "Just here."

Saying that, he lifted his leg and wanted to go inside.

Chen Ji grabbed him and said in a low voice, "Wang Ye, are you just going in like this, swaggering? There are many people and mixed eyes in the Lin Fu. What if someone recognizes you?"

Jing Wang said unhappily, "What are you afraid of? You are a young man, how can you be more timid than me, an old and decrepit person? This Lin Yuanwai does brothel and gambling house business and has gathered a group of ruffians under him. Officials and nobles will absolutely not lower themselves to participate in his family's wedding banquet. Since there are no officials and nobles, how could someone possibly recognize me?"

Chen Ji hurriedly said, "That's not right. This is a mixed place, a den of dragons and snakes. What if something happens? How can I explain to Bai Li and the Shizi?"

Jing Wang lifted his leg and walked towards the entrance of the Lin Fu. "Boy, I hired you to be a guard, not to manage me. Today I have important matters and must go in."

Chen Ji could only brace himself and quickly follow.

When they reached the entrance, the welcoming steward stood at the high threshold, squinting his eyes and bowing to the two with folded hands. "Two guests are unfamiliar faces. May I ask, do you have our master's invitation?"

Jing Wang said boldly, "We two are passing merchants. Seeing that this place is holding a lively banquet, we simply came to offer congratulations and get some wine and food."

The steward was astonished. He had never seen such righteous gatecrashers.

He looked at Jing Wang and Chen Ji, who were empty-handed, and skillfully responded without thinking, "Two sirs, today is a day of great joy for our Lin Fu. We are only banqueting some relatives and friends..."

Jing Wang interrupted with a smile, "Please forgive us, master. We came in a hurry and had no time to prepare a humble gift. But today is a day of great joy for the Lin Fu, so we present thirty taels of silver as a token of congratulations."

Saying that, Jing Wang looked at Chen Ji. "Give it to the steward."

Chen Ji said, "?"

He was originally watching the fun from the side, but as he watched, he realized he had been tricked.

Jing Wang saw that Chen Ji still hadn't moved and urged again, "Thirty taels."

Chen Ji was extremely astonished. "Thirty taels? I give?"

Jing Wang said kindly, "Didn't you bring it? Hurry and take it out, don't keep this steward waiting anxiously."

Chen Ji expressionlessly took out three small silver ingots from his sleeve and handed them to the steward. The steward smiled slightly and put the silver ingots into his sleeve. "Two noble guests, please enter. There will be servants to lead you."

After entering, a young servant led the two towards the inner courtyard.

Chen Ji said in a low voice, "You handle affairs, I spend money. Is this not appropriate?"

Jing Wang laughed happily. "How much money has Bai Li spent on you? What's inappropriate about letting you spend thirty taels of silver? Do you want me to carefully calculate the accounts for you?"

Chen Ji was left speechless.

After a long silence, he quietly asked, "You said thirty taels of silver without even asking me beforehand. What if I didn't have that much? Next time, at least discuss it with me first."

Jing Wang, with his hands behind his back, said leisurely, "No need. Your master said that you, boy, always carry thirty taels of silver for emergency use."

"Good, good, good..."

The young servant led the two to the edge seat in front of the banquet stage.

There were already leftovers on the table, but Jing Wang didn't mind. As he picked out dishes for himself, he stretched his neck to look towards the stage.

Chen Ji followed his gaze towards the stage. "The person you are going to meet secretly later is on the stage?"

Jing Wang looked at him strangely. "Meet secretly? Meet secretly what?"

Chen Ji was puzzled. "Didn't you say you had important matters?"

Jing Wang said patiently, "Today, this Lin Yuanwai is holding a banquet and has specially invited the leader of the Northern School of Zaju, Master Meng, to sing 'Bai Zhou Ji.' You know, Master Meng was a famous star in the capital once. It's not easy to hear him sing an act, so I just came to listen to the play."

Chen Ji said, "Ah?"

So the important matters you talked about earlier were just to listen to a play?

At this moment, the Liu family was plotting, Yun Fei was plotting, Jing Fei was plotting, the Si Li Jian was plotting, and everyone was racking their brains to gain something in the situation.

And you, who are at the center of the vortex, are nonchalantly sneaking into someone else's banquet to listen to a play?

The Liu family is about to rebel, the relatives of the Wang Fu are rushing towards their respective futures, and the events outside the play are more absurd than those inside the play. At this time, shouldn't you quickly turn the tide? What play are you listening to?

Just as Chen Ji was about to say something, he heard Jing Wang suddenly say, "Don't speak, this act is about to begin."

The young man suddenly turned his head and looked towards the dimly lit stage. He saw that on the red stage, the sound of the side drum rose, and an actor with thick makeup rushed onto the stage. "Summer nights are long, summer nights are long, flying over heavy passes, running wild in the suburbs, a mistaken young man in the red dust of the capital..."

In the play, the young man takes orders in the face of danger and rushes to the battlefield.

He kills treacherous ministers, kills bandits, pacifies the northern border, and in a flash, his hair turns white. But before he can return to the capital to become prime minister, he is already suspected by the emperor and thrown into prison.

There is a saying that peace is originally achieved by generals, but generals are not allowed to see peace.

Chen Ji looked back at Jing Wang, only to see this feudal lord with graying temples sitting upright, his eyes not on the play, his thoughts wandering elsewhere.

It was as if the joys and sorrows on the stage and the absurd matters offstage were for a time indistinguishable.

He didn't know how long passed, but the play ended.

Jing Wang looked at Chen Ji and smiled. "Why are you looking at me like this?"

Chen Ji said with a heavy heart, "You risked danger to go out tonight just to listen to this act?"

Jing Wang teased, "Is it not okay to just listen to a play? Who says a person must do a big matter of saving the country and saving people every day in their life? That's too tiring."

Chen Ji was speechless.

Jing Wang laughed heartily. "In the early years when the Northern School of Zaju was still prosperous, the Empress Dowager once summoned Master Meng into the palace to sing a play. At that time, he sang this 'Bai Zhou Ji.' I was twenty-one years old and enfeoffed as king, and Master Meng was famous on one side. Now, Southern Kunqu has replaced Northern Zaju, and Master Meng has actually fallen to the point where he needs to sing plays at the homes of flesh-selling merchants."

Jing Wang looked at the already empty stage and said with a smile, "They are all stars of the old era taking their curtain call. This play, ah, listen to one act, and there's one less act."

Chen Ji asked, "Wang Ye, the play is over, where are we going now?"

Jing Wang stood up and walked outside. "Let's go home."

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