Chapter 211: General Wang

Outside the Zhang mansion, twenty tables were set up in Cuiyun Alley. Roast chicken, red-braised pork elbow, red-braised large carp, and dishes like sliced meat in soup flowed out continuously. Neighbors could sit down and eat; when one table finished, they would leave, and a new group would sit down to continue eating. This is the origin of the "flowing banquet."

Inside the Zhang mansion, honored guests were arranged in eight courtyards. In each courtyard, there was a long rectangular low table that could seat eighteen people, with dishes and pastries displayed in abundance.

Before the main meal began, invited high officials and nobles gathered, offering congratulations to Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin one by one.

Chen Ji and Xiao Man stood side by side under a walnut tree in the corner of the courtyard, looking from afar at Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin, who were like the sun and moon of Luocheng, surrounded by stars.

Xiao Man asked in a low voice, "Young master, how did you get to know the Zhang family? Your relationship seems very good. Rumor has it that the second miss of the Zhang family is very fierce and never gives outsiders a good look, yet she specially wrote an invitation for you."

Chen Ji said expressionlessly, "Where do you get so many questions? You weren't this inquisitive before."

Xiao Man's eyes widened. "Young master has forgotten? Xiao Man loves to inquire about the Zhang family's affairs and the Li family's gossip the most, especially during meals."

Chen Ji said, "...This is not a good habit."

Xiao Man pouted. "Aunt also especially loved to listen to the Zhang family's affairs and the Li family's gossip. I remember when I was young, I followed her to the estate in the capital's suburbs to check accounts. When she heard a group of old ladies gossiping at the village entrance, she had someone bring her a chair and listened for an afternoon."

Chen Ji was puzzled. "What did they talk about?"

Xiao Man thought for a moment. "First, they said the two old widowers in the village got together in the middle of the night. They also said that a certain household's wife in the village was bought from Tongzhou. They also said that someone's family had no son, and their relatives would probably gobble up the family fortune. Aunt listened very intently at that time."

Chen Ji opened his mouth but didn't continue the conversation for a long time.

Just then, a servant was heard announcing from outside the door, "General Wang of the Qiannian Army arrives!"

The name "Qiannian Army" was like a sudden cold wind, causing the lively and festive atmosphere in the Zhang mansion to freeze for a moment. These three words reminded everyone of the military disaster that had just passed, as if the smell of blood still lingered in the air.

Chen Ji turned his head to look outside the door while pulling Xiao Man's arm to back away from the crowd.

Xiao Man looked at him in surprise. "Young master, what's wrong?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Nothing."

With the announcement, General Wang stepped onto the red carpet. He wasn't wearing armor today, but a black robe with a large lapel, a gold beam crown on his head, and thick-soled black boots on his feet. He was still imposing.

General Wang was followed by several soldiers, all in full armor with long knives at their waists. The guests at the Zhang mansion almost thought that the Qiannian Army was here to cause another military disaster.

Zhang Zhuo pushed through the crowd and said playfully from afar, "General Wang, why have you come to my mansion for a banquet and even brought full armor? Are you afraid that I, Zhang, will plot against you?"

General Wang smiled and said in a rough voice, "Recently, there have been Jianghu ruffians violating the ban by force. It's better to be a little more careful."

Chen Ji lowered his head and pondered. Jianghu ruffians violating the ban by force, and he was so heavily guarded that he even brought soldiers as guards to the banquet. Could it be that Jianghu people had been trying to assassinate him these past few days?

Yes, Chen Ji had caused a big scene in the military camp that day. Although he eventually lost and left, the words he shouted in the military camp were still heard by some Qiannian Army soldiers and remembered in their hearts.

As the saying goes, good news doesn't go out the door, but bad news spreads thousands of miles. Even if the Qiannian Army had strict discipline, the rumors of General Wang betraying Jing Wang had probably quietly spread among the common people.

In the Jianghu, there must still be people who were loyalists of Jing Wang and wanted to avenge him.

As Chen Ji thought, he pulled Xiao Man and turned back, not wanting to face the other person.

But just as Zhang Zhuo was about to lead General Wang inside, General Wang passed by the walnut tree where Chen Ji was standing, walked two steps, and then retreated two steps.

He looked at Chen Ji's back and said in a low voice, "Turn around."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths, then turned around to face the other person directly. "General Wang, long time no see."

General Wang said in a low voice, "You actually still dare to appear in front of me."

Chen Ji didn't expect the other person to take the initiative first.

He thought for a few breaths and smiled. "General Wang, what are you saying? Why wouldn't I dare to appear in front of General Wang?"

General Wang said in a condensed voice, "Wang Ye treated you well. The World Son and the County Princess were even close friends with you and considered you a confidant. But what did you do? If you hadn't given evidence to the eunuch party, how would Wang Ye have been framed by the eunuch party and then died unjustly in prison?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Zhang mansion suddenly became quiet, and the guests all looked over sideways.

Chen Ji stood in the gaze of dozens of people, as if directly facing dozens of stabbing spears. It was as if he was still at Longwang Tun that night, with autumn leaves falling from the branches, and after the autumn leaves, only enemies remained.

In the crowd, Chen Liqin also looked at Chen Ji. He hadn't expected that Chen Ji was actually involved in the matter of the Jing Wang mansion's rebellion, and there was suspicion of betraying Jing Wang. Although Jing Wang was now charged with the great crime of rebellion, with Jing Wang's reputation, from the court to the Jianghu, there were countless people who stood on Jing Wang's side, all believing that Jing Wang's death was caused by the eunuch party persecuting loyal and good people.

If the Chen family carried the reputation of betraying Jing Wang, they would likely be spat upon by the world. Chen Liqin thought again and again, and finally chose to remain silent.

Instead, Zhang Zhuo restrained his smile and asked expressionlessly, "General Wang, this is a guest invited by my Zhang mansion. Why say these words? What does he have to do with the Jing Wang case?"

General Wang snorted coldly. "Let him say it himself!"

Chen Ji frowned slightly.

This General Wang was clearly worried about being sought for revenge by Jianghu loyalists, so he wanted to take the initiative in public and pour all the dirty water on himself.

But what was strange was that General Wang had already surrendered to Bai Long. Didn't the other person know that he wanted to hide his spy identity and lurk in the Chen mansion? How dare the other person reveal secrets in public?

Wait, the other person was not Bai Long's confidant and didn't know everything. In General Wang's view, he was just an apprentice from Taiping Medical Hall who once tried to save Jing Wang. The other person didn't even know that he was also a spy from the spy department.

He hadn't said where the blood letter came from that day, nor had he revealed his spy identity. And Bai Long had originally planned to let him lurk in the Chen family and then recruit him, so he wouldn't tell General Wang more either.

General Wang didn't know that he was also under Bai Long.

Thinking this through, Chen Ji casually said, "General Wang, why do you say I betrayed Wang Ye? What evidence did I give to the eunuch party?"

General Wang laughed coldly, "I don't know the specific details, but I was told by someone informed that Wang Ye once trusted you and entrusted you to deliver a blood letter to me. But you were ungrateful and gave the blood letter to the eunuch party!"

Someone gasped. "Wang Ye's blood letter! Why have I never heard of it before?"

"What was written on the blood letter? Did it contain evidence of Wang Ye's crime?"

"Wang Ye dedicated his life to the country and the people, yet he was harmed by the eunuch party. I didn't expect, ah, that there would actually be a villain who betrayed him!"

"This kind of person who betrays faith and righteousness should be executed by everyone!"

The crowd's emotions were agitated, and Chen Ji was pointed at by a thousand fingers.

General Wang's face showed a cold smile. Chen Liqin simply retreated into the main hall of the Zhang mansion.

Zhang Zhuo closed his eyes and pondered, trying to find a way out, but for a while, he couldn't think of how to clear Chen Ji's injustice. Zhang Xia pulled his sleeve, signaling him to quickly think of a way, but at this time, there seemed to be no way to break the situation.

At this moment, Xiao Man was so angry that her face was red. She pulled Chen Ji's sleeve. "Young master, say something, ah. You are not that kind of person."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Xiao Man turned to General Wang and said angrily, "Don't slander my young master! I have served him for many years. He is kind, absolutely not the kind of person who betrays faith and righteousness that you speak of!"

General Wang said calmly, "You know a person's face, but not their heart. Perhaps Wang Ye also thought he was kind, so he entrusted the blood letter to him. Little girl, you are still young and don't understand people clearly."

Xiao Man held back for a long time. "...You're farting!"

As she spoke, Chen Ji's mind raced. The urgent matter now was to clear his name, but how should he argue?

Could he spill everything about this matter? No, once he spilled it, his spy identity would also be exposed, and he wouldn't be able to stay in the Chen family. Bai Long valued him because of his identity in the Chen family. If he became useless, Bai Li would probably find it difficult to save him.

Then, could he pour the dirty water back on General Wang? Also no.

If he said that the blood letter was given to the spy department by General Wang, others would ask how a small apprentice like him knew about this matter.

Moreover, General Wang was a general of the Qiannian Army who had always been loyal to Jing Wang. Although he was just a small apprentice from a medical hall, whose words would everyone believe?

Furthermore, the other person came prepared and might already have preparations for this matter. If he counterattacked from here, he would likely fall into the other person's trap.

He could only find another way, find something that General Wang couldn't refute.

Chen Ji pondered for a long time amidst the noisy voices, and finally opened his mouth. "General Wang, where did you hear about the blood letter?"

General Wang folded his arms across his chest. "You don't need to care how I know. Just say whether this matter happened or not."

Chen Ji said, "There was indeed one blood letter from Wang Ye."

General Wang exhaled.

In the main hall, Chen Liqin paced back and forth, thinking about how to prevent the Chen mansion from being involved in this matter.

Outside the main hall, the officials and nobles were noisy. "What was written on the blood letter?"

"How could a villain betray Jing Wang and give it to the eunuch party?"

Chen Ji slowly opened his mouth. "There was indeed a blood letter, but the matter is different from what General Wang said."

General Wang raised his eyebrows. "Where did the blood letter come from?"

Chen Ji carefully thought about whether his words had any loopholes, then slowly opened his mouth. "That day, my master and I, Jing Wang, the World Son, and the County Princess were all confined in the Liu family's large house by the eunuch party. Later, because my master had treated the inner minister's leg disease, the eunuch party let the two of us out. Before leaving, Wang Ye stuffed a blood letter to me and asked me to send it to the capital to His Majesty."

General Wang was somewhat surprised. He was originally waiting for Chen Ji to spill the details of the matter so he could refute it with human evidence. He didn't expect Chen Ji not to counterattack him but to make up a new story.

And all the people Chen Ji mentioned in his words couldn't be verified.

He frowned and asked, "Then why did this blood letter end up in the hands of the eunuch party?"

Chen Ji explained, "Naturally, it was searched away by the eunuch party when my master and I went out."

General Wang laughed coldly, "How do I know you didn't actively hand over the blood letter for wealth and glory?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Because that blood letter originally couldn't become evidence of Jing Wang's rebellion. Handing it over wouldn't have brought wealth and glory either."

Zhang Zhuo came back to his senses. "What exactly was written inside the blood letter?"

Chen Ji was about to open his mouth when he heard General Wang interrupt, "Wait, could it be that whatever he says, we should just believe it? Now none of us know the content of the blood letter, so it's not just him making things up on the fly."