Chapter 176: Identity

Luocheng’s East Market is like spring within the four seasons of the year; the lush vitality within the city always begins here.

Just when the common people of Luocheng were still trembling with fear, the merchants inside the East Market had already quietly removed their door boards and were doing business in a low-key manner.

Chen Ji walked along the street, stopping and starting, dressed in a gray cloth robe, as if searching for something. He appeared relaxed, as if today was no different from any other day.

Finally, he stopped in front of the door of the Dingchang Pawn Shop, lifted his head to glance at the plaque, then stepped over the threshold: “Shopkeeper, I want to pawn something!”

The counter of a pawn shop is different from that of an ordinary shop.

The front counter is sealed with varnished wooden boards, with only a small window left at the top.

Behind the window, a white-haired and bearded old shopkeeper, head lowered, narrowed his eyes and looked out from the small window: “Young man, what do you want to pawn?”

Chen Ji took out a large pearl from his sleeve, lifted his hand and handed it over: “An Eastern Pearl!”

The old shopkeeper took it casually, brought it to his eye to examine it and said: “Record it down: poor scholar, young man, pawns a gray, not pull, several round sons, one piece!”

At this time, pawn shops had many slang terms.

For example, a robe was called: “block wind.”

Silver was called: “soft goods dragon.”

Gold was called: “hard goods dragon.”

A pearl was called: “round son.”

Fox fur was called: “big hair.”

Sheepskin was called: “small hair.”

Whenever someone pawned something, the shopkeeper would first belittle it with a few sentences.

For example, if someone pawned a fur garment, he would say: ‘bare board, no hair. One piece eaten by insects and gnawed by rats.’ Chen Ji asked with a smile: “How much silver can it be pawned for?”

The old shopkeeper thought for a moment: “Twenty taels of silver!”

Chen Ji asked: “I heard people say, this thing is worth four hundred taels.”

The old shopkeeper pinched the pearl in his hand, squinted his eyes and sized up Chen Ji: “Young man, I’m afraid this thing didn’t come from the right place. Where would an ordinary family have such a big pearl? With your current attire, I can only give you twenty taels. If you think it’s too low, then go ask other shops. But if I send you to the authorities for investigation, I’m afraid it will cost you your life!”

Chen Ji did not retort, but only took out another object from his sleeve and handed it over: “Then you can help me look at this thing again!”

The old shopkeeper casually took the Shence Fu waist token, subconsciously saying: “Dim without light... Oh, ancestor...”

With a bang from inside the counter, the old shopkeeper fell off the high chair.

He didn’t care about the pain, and quickly opened the small side door of the counter and ran out with small steps: “What wind has blown you here, sir? It was my fault just now, I had no eyes, that Eastern Pearl, you say how much it’s worth, that’s how much!”

Chen Ji said calmly: “I don’t intend to make things difficult for you, just pawn this pearl for me according to the market price.”

The old shopkeeper quickly said: “Good, good, good, we will just get the silver for you now, do you want a live pawn or a dead pawn?”

“Dead pawn!”

Chen Ji said: “Don’t be in a hurry to exchange the silver, does your Dingchang Pawn Shop have any old mountain ginseng pawned by others? Don’t want young ones!”

“Yes, yes, yes, you just need to ask. How can we not have them?”

The old shopkeeper said: “Assistant, bring out all the ginseng in our warehouse for the official sir to choose from.”

Chen Ji waited silently. This Eastern Pearl was left behind when Consort Jing framed him earlier.

He hadn’t pawned it all this time.

One reason was worrying about being caught and having future trouble.

The second reason was worrying about being easily deceived by people without an official position in this world.

Now Consort Jing was already dead.

This Eastern Pearl was now considered to be without future trouble.

The old shopkeeper carried out eight exquisite wooden boxes: “You can see, these are all the ginseng collected in our pawn shop. If you want it, you can fold it for you at a price of thirty taels, no, twenty taels per root.”

Chen Ji suddenly asked: “How much money were these collected for? Bring that account book over for me to see.”

The old shopkeeper suddenly showed a bitter face: “Fifteen taels per root.”

Chen Ji thought for a moment: “Okay, throw away all the wooden boxes, and wrap the ginseng in cloth.”

After the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, he came out of the pawn shop carrying the ginseng and silver.

Just as he had left, Baiyang came out of the small alley next to the pawn shop and walked in.

In just a moment, Baiyang walked out of the pawn shop and came to a carriage opposite the street and said in a low voice: “Lord Bai Long, that kid went in and showed his Shence Fu identity, and pawned off that Eastern Pearl lost by Consort Jing for four hundred and sixty taels of silver, then bought eight roots of ginseng from the pawn shop at a price of fifteen taels per root.”

A lazy voice came from inside the carriage: “Nothing else?” “No!”

Bai Long slowly said through the carriage curtain: “This kid is quite cautious, he only pawned off that Eastern Pearl after so long. He has just entered the cultivation path. It is understandable that he wants to exchange for cultivation resources. Baiyang, do you think this kid knows where Consort Yun went or not?”

Baiyang thought for a moment: “Lord Bai Long, you don’t need to overestimate this kid. He’s just a small apprentice in a medicine shop. How could he know where Consort Yun went?”

Bai Long said lightly: “Baiyang, it was not easy for you and Jiao Tu to become Zodiac animals, you still need to cherish it well. Although you have the origin of a killer, you can’t be a killer for a lifetime, right?”

Baiyang hesitated: “Does the lord mean?”

Bai Long said with a smile: “I know you and Jiao Tu are worried about this kid seeking revenge. But he has already entered the eyes of the Grand Tutor. If you don’t have full confidence, it’s better not to provoke him.”

Baiyang understood: “The lord wants me to find an opportunity for a fatal blow.”

Bai Long was silent in the carriage for a moment, then laughed and scolded: “Baiyang, you are also a wonderful person. With this free time, why don’t you quickly find the courier fee for me? We are short of her now, and many things can’t be done. There is only half a month left until the deadline given by the Grand Tutor. If things are not handled steadily, and she is allowed to run away, be careful, you and I will both be punished!”

“This woman is also alert. She actually detected it in advance and ran away without a trace.”

Baiyang complained in a low voice: “Lord, Jiao Tu and I are not good at finding people. Why don’t we let Jin Zhu and Meng Ji go?”

Bai Long thought for a moment: “Alright, let’s go. Go back to the Liu family mansion!”

Baiyang said “Ah” and sat on the coachman’s seat, raising his whip. On the roof of the Dingchang Pawn Shop, a raccoon cat, which had just tucked its claws in to nap, opened its eyes, got up and flipped over the roof ridge, disappearing from sight.

Several streets away, inside the Ma Ji noodle stall.

The boss was just stirring the bone soup in the large pot with a long-handled wooden spoon.

Then he heard someone enter the door and say: “Boss, one bowl of noodles, add one portion of mutton!”

The boss didn’t turn his head and asked casually: “Guest, do you want wide noodles or fine noodles?”

“Wide noodles!”

The boss turned his head to look and saw a clear and handsome thin boy who had already found a seat by the window.

He responded: “Guest, wait a moment!”

While he was pulling the noodles, he heard the boy ask: “Boss, it’s lunchtime, why are there no people in the shop?”

The boss smiled bitterly and said: “The city has suffered a military disaster, only the traveling merchants are willing to come out and buy food, and these traveling merchants are also unlucky. They want to go home but can’t go back. Their goods are all piled up at the wharf and they still need to pay the transport gang warehouse fees.”

The boy asked casually: “Are there no ships sailing from the wharf?”

The boss threw the well-pulled noodles into the boiling pot: “I don’t know why. Anyway, no ships are sailing.”

Chen Ji looked at the sparse pedestrians outside the window, and he guessed that according to the Shence Fu’s plan, the Liu family and King Jing were like lips and teeth; after dealing with the Liu family, they would also conveniently eliminate King Jing. This was a plan of killing two birds with one stone.

But no one expected that while King Jing was in a coma, he reminded Consort Yun: “The King has already detected that Han Tong, the sect master of the Luo Tian Sect, has come to visit the county princess.” This led the courier to escape the palace for the first time and hide.

By mistake, the Shence Fu lost the key evidence.

Now, the Shence Fu could not find Consort Yun, so there was no way to use the crime of ‘King Jing’s mansion colluding with the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department’ to nail down a highly prosperous and powerful vassal king.

But Consort Yun being in Luocheng was always a great hidden danger.

The boss carried a wooden tray and placed it in front of Chen Ji: “Guest, enjoy. You are the first guest today, I will add a tael of noodles for you.” Chen Ji took out chopsticks from the wooden tube on the table and said thanks.

Just as he ate a few mouthfuls of noodles, he saw a fluffy dark cloud, leap from outside onto the windowsill, and meow: “No one is following. The wharf is guarded by Shence Fu people. Only entry is allowed, not exit. During this time, a group of agents in plain clothes are searching everywhere. As soon as someone approaches the wharf, they will be caught and questioned. The homes of the wharf laborers have all been turned upside down.”

Chen Ji smiled and clipped the mutton in the bowl to its mouth: “Thanks, you’ve worked hard these past few days!”

Heimao bit the mutton, raised its head and swallowed it: “So hot!”

Chen Ji clipped another piece of mutton, blew on it, and then handed it to its mouth again: “Where is she?”

Heimao ate it and then meowed lightly: “Coming!”

As the words fell,

He saw a sallow-faced woman carrying a vegetable basket passing by outside the window.

Chen Ji immediately put down his chopsticks, threw thirty copper coins on the table, got up and followed.

The woman carried the basket, like a neighbor aunt, first went to the grain and oil shop to buy two liang of corn flour, then went to the street corner to buy several mixed grain cakes.

Then she turned into a small alley.

Between the white walls and gray tiles, Chen Ji said softly behind her: “Madam Consort Yun!”

The woman pretended not to hear, and continued to walk forward calmly and unhurriedly. Chen Ji followed her without haste, and then said: “You were just quietly observing the wharf, weren’t you? The eunuch faction sealed the wharf, and all the members of the transport gang under the Luo Tian Sect are under strict surveillance. You want to leave Luocheng, but you can’t possibly get out!”

The woman turned back and looked at Chen Ji with doubt: “Young man, are you talking to me? I’m afraid you’ve found the wrong person!”

At this time, Consort Yun was without jewelry, the gray cloth shirt was patched, and the toe of her cloth shoes had a small hole.

Her appearance had also changed.

Her eyebrows were much thinner, her nose bridge was much higher, her lips were much smaller, and even people who knew her well would not necessarily recognize her if they met her face to face.

No wonder the Shence Fu couldn’t find her!

Consort Yun no longer paid attention to Chen Ji and turned to leave.

But she heard the boy behind her suddenly say: “Madam, I have a way to send you to the Jing Dynasty!”

Consort Yun, carrying the vegetable basket, suddenly turned and asked proudly: “How exactly did you find me?”

In that instant, her back straightened, and she became that dignified consort again.

Even the coarse cloth turban and clothes could not cover years of noble demeanor.

Chen Ji said calmly: “Madam is eager to leave Luocheng now, the Luo Tian Sect cannot help you. But I can!”

Consort Yun retorted: “Aren’t your Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department forces in Luocheng already uprooted by the eunuch faction? What are you relying on to send me away?”

Chen Ji originally didn’t want to mention his spy identity again.

At this moment, however, he could only go along with her words: “My Military Intelligence Department has been able to lurk in the Ning Dynasty for so many years, naturally we have our confidence, otherwise how could I find you? You don’t need to ask too much, you just need to know that I can help you leave!”

Consort Yun thought for a moment, staring at Chen Ji and said: “In this world, no one rises early without profit. Why does your Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department want to help me?”

Chen Ji explained: “My Military Intelligence Department wants to cooperate with the Luo Tian Sect, naturally we want to protect Madam’s life!”

Consort Yun suddenly showed a smile: “You are lying!”

Chen Ji remained unmoved and retorted: “What does Madam mean?”

Consort Yun, carrying the vegetable basket, walked towards Chen Ji step by step, until she was two steps away, then slowly stopped: “You are doing this for Bai Li, right?”

Chen Ji remained silent.

The two people stood in the narrow alley confronting each other, the atmosphere heavy.

After a moment, Chen Ji spoke: “Madam, may I ask you a question?”

Consort Yun was noncommittal: “Ask!”

Chen Ji asked: “Did you contact my Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department on the King’s instructions?”

Consort Yun laughed coldly: “If he didn’t instruct me, what would I contact you for?”

Chen Ji took a deep breath: “Then does the King know about my Jing Dynasty spy identity?”

Consort Yun laughed: “So you were worried about this matter. He naturally knows as well.” Chen Ji was suddenly confused.

When Bai Long mentioned Consort Yun colluding with the Jing Dynasty, Chen Ji realized that this was a plan by the Shence Fu and King Jing.

King Jing must have known about his spy identity. Consort Yun had no reason to conceal it from him.

But since King Jing knew, why did he completely disregard his spy identity, and even entrust his orphan to him?

Moreover, since he entrusted his orphan to him, he must have thought that Bai Long, Jin Zhu, and others absolutely did not know his identity, otherwise this entrustment of the orphan would be completely meaningless!

Why did King Jing conceal this matter from the Shence Fu?

Chen Ji suddenly felt a headache. He always felt as if he had fallen into a quagmire, but he didn’t know how he had fallen in, or how to struggle out.

He lifted his head and looked at Consort Yun: “Madam, no matter what you think. Please come to this place again tomorrow evening, and I will send you out of Luocheng!”

Consort Yun said in a low voice: “Without a Shence Fu waist token, how can I get out of the city?”

Chen Ji said: “I have my own way!”

Consort Yun turned and walked away: “I hope you are not speaking wildly.”

Chen Ji watched Consort Yun disappear at the end of the small alley. Heimao jumped from the roof onto his shoulder, and meowed curiously: “Are you really planning to take a risk and send her away?”

Chen Ji stood in the shadow under the high wall of the small alley and did not answer.