Chapter 194: Farewell

A small courtyard, an assassin, a black cat, a young man. It was strange yet unexpectedly harmonious.

Bright Rabbit stood on the roof eaves, looking at the Eight Immortals table next to her as if no one else was there. Chen Ji suddenly sighed, "Time really flies. Two months ago, Cloud Sheep said you might surpass the two of us, and I didn't believe it. In the blink of an eye, you've actually become our superior."

Chen Ji said sincerely, "This matter is also a coincidence. On the one hand, I was promoted quickly, and on the other hand, it's also because the two of you were demoted quickly... But if I were a little slower, or the two of you a little slower, this kind of thing wouldn't have happened."

Bright Rabbit rolled her eyes, "Who are you annoying? You talk just like Doctor Yao."

Cloud Sheep's face was slightly cold. He crossed his arms, looking at Chen Ji coldly, "You want to be the superior of us two? You're still not qualified."

Chen Ji smiled, taking a step back in his words, "I don't want to be the superior of the two of you, but there are crises lurking everywhere in the Directorate of Ceremonial. I just want to join hands with the two of you. You both need to return to your Zodiac positions, you need cultivation resources, you need cultivation paths, and I need helpers. It's just that simple."

Chen Ji continued, "After this, we won't address each other by our positions in private. I am not your superior, and you are not my subordinates. How about that?"

Cloud Sheep's face eased somewhat.

Bright Rabbit suddenly said, "But how should we believe you? You can even betray King Jing, the Princess, and the World Son. If you rise in position later, you can betray us just the same. Tsk, poor Princess, I saw her yesterday, and there was no light in her eyes at all."

Chen Ji's hand holding the chopsticks paused, then he smiled, "If the two of you can vent your anger by mocking me, that would truly be for the best. How about you say a few more sentences? Once you're done, we can talk about proper matters."

Bright Rabbit let out a sound of surprise, covering her mouth and smiling, "I didn't mean to mock you. It's just that we saw the previous lesson at King Jing's residence, so we're a little worried."

Chen Ji said seriously, "I'm helping the two of you, and I naturally have my demands. I've cooperated with the two of you before and earned fifty taels of silver from you. How about we change the terms of our cooperation? I'll help the two of you return to your Zodiac positions, and each of you will pay me five thousand taels of silver."

Bright Rabbit's eyes widened. She put her hands on her waist, bending down to look at Chen Ji, "Five thousand taels? Why don't you just rob someone? Lin Chaoqing of the Main Criminal Division is watching us every day. Where are we going to get so much silver?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "That's not something I need to consider. The two of you don't need to lie to me again and say you have no money. Even the Main Criminal Division, no matter how fierce, has its oversights. Furthermore, compared to the Zodiac positions, which is lighter and which is heavier, the two of you know in your hearts."

Cloud Sheep touched his neck, his voice low as he asked, "What if you retaliate against me and Bright Rabbit after you've risen in position?"

Chen Ji laughed, "Master Cloud Sheep, where in this world is there such deep hatred and great grudges? It's all just about fame and fortune."

Bright Rabbit probed, "Really?"

Chen Ji picked up a piece of braised tofu and ate it, his face unchanged as he said, "I can even betray King Jing, the Princess, and the World Son. For the sake of fame and fortune, I can do anything."

Bright Rabbit clapped and praised, "I just said we'd get along!"

Cloud Sheep frowned, "Bright Rabbit, this boy is deep-hearted, don't fall for his trick."

Bright Rabbit didn't care, "Stop chattering. If you're not willing to cooperate with Chen Ji, then I'll cooperate with him alone. You don't want to return to the Zodiac? I do."

Cloud Sheep's face froze. He turned his head to look at Chen Ji, "What do you need us to do?"

Chen Ji thought for a bit, "The things I need the two of you to do might be numerous."

Saying that, he took out an envelope from his sleeve and threw it to Cloud Sheep, "The first thing is to send this envelope to the Chen residence."

Cloud Sheep took the envelope, saying doubtfully, "Now?"

"Of course not now, but tomorrow," Chen Ji pointed to the food on the table, "Since we're cooperating, why not sit down and eat together?"

Bright Rabbit blinked at Chen Ji, "Is there wine?"

Cloud Sheep glanced at the food on the table, "It looks unappetizing. I won't eat. I'm leaving."

With that, he leaped onto the roof, grabbed Bright Rabbit's sleeve, and was about to leave.

Bright Rabbit didn't leave. She turned back to look at Chen Ji, "Tomorrow, White Dragon will personally escort the Princess to the capital. If you want to see her one more time, I can tell you the escort route."

Saying that, she observed Chen Ji's expression.

But Chen Ji's expression didn't change in the slightest. He only continued eating with his head down, casually replying, "Why see her? Master Bright Rabbit still shouldn't tell me the escort route."

Bright Rabbit praised, "So ruthless, Chen Ji. You will definitely soar to great heights."

Cloud Sheep urged, "Let's go!"

"Oh!"

After the two disappeared from sight, Chen Ji subtly relaxed a breath. He put down his chopsticks and sat in the cold small courtyard, beginning to daze.

Cooperating with malicious individuals like Cloud Sheep and Bright Rabbit was like walking on a tightrope or plotting with a tiger. The slightest carelessness would lead to eternal damnation.

Black Cloud walked along the roof and lightly jumped onto the table, "Not fighting? I haven't practiced the Liang family knife method yet."

Chen Ji picked up a piece of cured meat, "Not fighting. Using fame and fortune as a knife is enough."

Early morning, the crowing of chickens broke the dawn.

Chen Ji got up and came to the courtyard, stripped off his clothes, and used ice-cold water to wash away the smell of wine and dust from his body. It was as if he was washing off his past self, putting on a new mask.

He washed until his whole body was red, then returned to the apprentice's bedroom.

He stood in front of the wardrobe, hesitating for a while, finally taking out the custom-made clothes from Li Ji and putting them on. It was a black, stand-collar robe with a large front opening, and the stitching was fine, dense, and tight, exquisite.

Chen Ji lifted the hem of his clothes and stroked it. Hidden inside were the gold melon seeds he could use in an emergency, which weren't the thoughts of a girl he had never mentioned.

He came to the courtyard and looked at himself in the water surface of the water vat. He was thin, capable, and resolute in the water.

Chen Ji asked Black Cloud without turning his head, "Black Cloud, do I look like a big figure now?"

Black Cloud glanced at him, "No."

Chen Ji smiled, "Then I don't."

He packed a cloth bundle, slinging it over his shoulder.

Chen Ji came to the door, then turned back to take a deep look at the medical hall. Only after looking enough did he lock the large door and walk into the crowd of the early morning market.

He asked in a low voice, "Where are they going?"

Black Cloud poked out from his embrace, "They're setting out from the Liu residence on Qingping Street, turning onto Wangchun Gate Street to Hongdou Lane, and finally leaving the city through the North Gate. There's not much time. They'll leave at Chen hour."

Chen Ji quickened his pace until he was gradually running.

He weaved through the gaps between the crowd and carriages, running towards Qingping Street.

Upon reaching Qingping Street, Chen Ji suddenly saw a carriage slowly moving in front of the Liu residence gate, escorted by White Dragon and dozens of Troublesome Guards wearing raincoats on both sides.

White Dragon hadn't broken his promise. Since Chen Ji had served the other party, they wouldn't make things difficult for the Princess. The journey, which should have been conducted in a prison cage, had been changed to a comfortable carriage.

But Chen Ji didn't dare to approach. He only paralleled them on an adjacent street.

Row after row of houses blocked the line of sight. Only when both simultaneously passed a certain small alley could his gaze once again pass through the narrow bluestone alley and see that carriage.

He walked a section like this, watching a section, all the way from Wangchun Gate Street to Hongdou Lane. Chen Ji, while avoiding pedestrians and ox carts on the street, once again looked at the carriage through a small alley.

Until someone lifted the curtain from inside the carriage and quietly looked out. Chen Ji suddenly stopped in his tracks subconsciously, avoiding the other person's line of sight. The carriage continued forward, and another person remained forever in the past.

Chen Ji turned and left, walking in the opposite direction.

The carriage went north, Chen Ji went south, separated by white walls, buildings, and gray tiles, as if separated by mountains.

Black Cloud raised his head, looking at Chen Ji's jaw, "Not going to send her off?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Not sending her off. We still have our own things to do. We'll meet again sooner or later."

Yuncui Alley.

Chen Ji stood in front of the Chen residence gate. Two imposing stone lions squatted on the left and right, holding stone balls in their mouths.

He looked at the tightly closed large door, finally took a deep breath, picked up the beast head ring on the vermilion lacquer large door, and knocked it down, dong dong dong.

With a creak, the door opened.

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