Chapter 238: Spy of Jing Dynasty

In front of the steps of Baihu Festival Hall, the Yu Lin Army carefully wrapped cloth strips soaked in tung oil around wooden sticks, making them into torches, which were ignited in the fire basin.

The crowd, carrying weapons and holding open flames, headed out. The Crown Prince took the lead on a single horse, but was blocked by Li Xuan: "Your Highness, if it is truly as Chen Ji said, tonight we fear we will engage with Jing Dynasty thieves. Your Highness's thousand-gold body is better off staying in the Capital Office."

The Crown Prince laughed loudly and said: "How can General Li view me as a coward? You and I came to Guyuan together, and we should share the sweet and the bitter! How can there be a reason for you all to charge forward and shed blood while I hide in the back? Since our Great Ning Dynasty was established, there has never been an emperor timid of war, nor has there ever been a Crown Prince timid of war."

Li Xuan said with emotion: "Your Highness, if anything happens to you, how can I explain it to His Majesty?" The Crown Prince raised his hand to stop his words: "No need to say more... Third Young Master Chen, where are the Jing Dynasty thieves located?" Chen Ji cupped his hands and replied: "Dongtao Alley, Shache Street in the east of the city, it's the household with an elm tree in front of the door."

The Crown Prince asked loudly: "Does anyone know where Shache Street is? Who will lead the way first?"

The Yu Lin Army looked at each other. They had only been in Guyuan for a little over ten days. After arriving, they had closely followed the Crown Prince and had not had the opportunity to familiarize themselves with Guyuan.

Li Xuan said from the side: "Your Highness, I will have a border army soldier lead the way later."

The Crown Prince nodded: "Good!" The crowd, holding torches, mounted their horses. Over a hundred white-horsed riders galloped out from the middle of the Capital Office, causing the border army armored soldiers in front of the gate to retreat in a hurry.

In front of the red-painted large gate of the Capital Office, torchlight shone on Old Wu's face, filled with shock and uncertainty: "Your Highness, where are all the lords going?" "Military matters are important, don't ask what you shouldn't ask." Li Xuan pointed to a border army armored soldier and said: "Mount your horse and lead the way for us."

Old Wu suddenly cupped his hands and said: "General Li, this foot soldier you pointed out is not skilled in horsemanship. This subordinate is more familiar with Guyuan. How about letting this subordinate lead the way for you?" Li Xuan let out a cold laugh: "No need, I can ride a horse and take him!" Old Wu said no more, turned his head and instructed the border army armored soldier: "Seriously lead the way for Your Highness, you must not make a mistake!" The border army armored soldier cupped his fist and received the order: "Yes!" After the border army armored soldier mounted his horse, the Yu Lin Army, holding torches, escorted the Crown Prince as they galloped away.

The majestic white pheasant tail and cloak, the long military formation was like a flawlessly pure white ivory knife, stabbing into the interior of Guyuan City.

At the end of the troop, Chen Liqin also spurred his horse to follow. As he looked at Chen Ji's back, his heart was heavy, as if covered by a gloom that had not dispersed for over a decade.

After hesitating for a long time, Chen Liqin finally raised his whip, wanting to catch up with Chen Ji.

Just as he approached Chen Ji, Zaizai suddenly accelerated and pulled away from him.

Chen Liqin had no choice but to open his mouth: "Chen Ji, I have something to say to you!" Chen Ji gently patted Zaizai's back. Zaizai understood and slowed down. He looked sideways: "What does Lord Chen want to say?" Chen Liqin looked left, right, front, and back, confirming that no one was nearby, only then did he ask in a low, mysterious voice: "Who have you seen recently?" Chen Ji frowned slightly: "What does Lord Chen mean by this?" Chen Liqin thought for a moment: "Didn't you already go see her?" "Who?" Chen Ji was puzzled: "What exactly does Lord Chen want to ask?" Chen Liqin said in a deep voice: "No need to pretend. I ask you, where did you learn all your skills from?" Chen Ji replied calmly and unperturbed: "Responding to Lord Chen, I learned it from my master in the medical hall."

Chen Liqin emphasized: "Stop deceiving me. Imperial Physician Yao has been practicing medicine in the capital for decades. When have people heard that he is a formal practitioner?" Chen Ji did not speak.

He then heard Chen Liqin suddenly say: "Chen Ji, didn't you see your mother? Didn't you already know... she is still alive?" Chen Ji's heart was shocked. He pretended to be surprised: "My aunt is still alive! Lord Chen, what exactly is the matter? Isn't my aunt dead?" "No need to pretend!" Chen Liqin then asked a series of questions: "Didn't she go to Lucheng to find you? When did she find you? What did she say? Where is she now?" Chen Ji's mind raced. The amount of information revealed in these two sentences from Chen Liqin was enormous: His birth mother, Clan Lu, was indeed not dead! But if Clan Lu was not dead, why didn't she return to her hometown in Jing Dynasty? What exactly happened that year that caused Clan Lu to have to fake her death and leave, hiding her name? But why did Xiaoman not seem to know about this?

Chen Liqin saw that Chen Ji remained silent and his brows were tightly locked as he chattered endlessly: "I told her early on, if you want to go, then go cleanly. Why do you still want to come back to see you? She taught you these skills, do you then think she is good to you? She is doing this only to pull you into trouble!" Chen Ji thought for a long time and calmly said: "Lord Chen, are you not confused? My aunt died long ago. How could she come to find me? I've said before, all these skills of mine were taught by my master, Imperial Physician Yao Qimen. If there is a single lie in these words, may I be struck by thunder."

Chen Liqin low-drank: "When are you still going to lie? Furthermore, remember, don't see her again later, and don't casually show your skills to people again, especially those she taught you. Also, don't gather around the Crown Prince and the imperial sons anymore. Be careful that she uses you to stir up great disaster!" At this time, Chen Liqin had already confirmed that Chen Ji's birth mother had returned. Otherwise, there was fundamentally no way to explain where Chen Ji's skills came from. He did not believe that an old imperial physician could teach Chen Ji official ways.

Chen Ji turned his head and stared at Chen Liqin, asking directly: "Lord Chen, what exactly happened that year?" Chen Liqin's face changed. He said angrily: "This is not something you should ask about. You only need to remember not to see her again, and that's it. I absolutely will not harm you!" Chen Ji fell silent. It turned out that Chen Liqin still had this layer of worry... Looking at it this way, Chen Liqin certainly knew many inside stories, and possibly even knew Clan Lu's identity in Jing Dynasty!

The opponent perhaps detected his strangeness early on, but did not dare to speak out. Now that he could no longer hold back, he came to question him.

Chen Liqin saw that he had been silent for a long time, and his voice softened a bit: "You don't understand your mother's character. This person is full of lies, one after another. Sometimes, she even deceives her closest people, and even herself. Listen to my advice, don't have any more relationship with her. Steadily and steadily take the imperial examination. This is the proper way."

Just at this moment, a border army armored soldier pointed at a narrow street: "Generals, Shache Street has arrived."

Chen Ji looked over and saw that there were three elm trees inside Shache Street. He didn't know which household the person who tilted his head had spoken of? He vaguely felt something was wrong: "Your Highness, the message I received earlier said it was the household with an elm tree in front of the door, but there are actually three elm trees here. I'm afraid..." Li Xuan said in a deep voice: "It doesn't matter, just search all three households!" He glanced at Shache Street, and immediately made a hand signal to the Yu Lin Army on his left and right.

The Yu Lin Army dismounted, and one by one they climbed onto the roofs, approaching the three households.

Chen Ji did not dismount and stood quietly at the entrance of Shache Street, his brows tightly furrowed.

Just at this moment, the Crown Prince gathered the fox fur on his shoulder, pulled his horse back, and came to Chen Ji's side: "Third Young Master Chen didn't leave last night, why did you suddenly send a message again today?"

Chen Ji explained: "Responding to Your Highness, this commoner left yesterday to gather intelligence. Guyuan is a mixed bag of good and bad people. Some people stand in the open, and of course, some people should hide in the dark."

The Crown Prince praised: "Third Young Master Chen does not disappoint studying under Mister Wang Daosheng, he has civil strategy and military strategy. Just don't know, where did this message come from?" Chen Ji's face remained unchanged: "Responding to Your Highness, pleasure quarters and teahouses, not worth mentioning."

The Crown Prince smiled, and then changed the subject: "Both of your two elder brothers tested into the Jinshi this year, why are you the only one who did not participate in the imperial examination?" Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied: "Your Highness, what I learned from Mister is not classical righteousness, but military strategy. I have no intention of participating in the imperial examination."

"Oh?" The Crown Prince became interested: "So you mean, you intend to join the military?" Chen Ji hummed: "Originally, after Mister's mourning period, he wanted to resume office in the Ministry of War, but somehow it was delayed. I only had to follow my family back to the capital first, and then seek a matter to do."

The Crown Prince sighed: "I understand this matter one or two. Grand Tutor Hu submitted a memorial recommending Mister Wang to Renshou Palace, but it was rejected by the Directorate of Ceremonial. The eunuch said that Mister Wang was greedy for merit and advanced rashly when he led the border army in his early years, and still needed more tempering."

Chen Ji regretted: "What a pity for Mister's talent."

The Crown Prince sized up Chen Ji with interest: "Wise Brother Chen Ji, what are your plans after returning to the capital?" Chen Ji cupped his hands and said: "Responding to Your Highness, I still have no plans."

The Crown Prince smiled ambiguously: "Very good."

Suddenly, Li Xuan's voice came from afar: "Your Highness, there are no Jing Dynasty thieves here as Chen Ji said, and no so-called ten-odd jars of gold juice!" The Crown Prince was startled, pulled his horse, and went inside Shache Street: "Are all three households empty? Is there any possibility that the Jing Dynasty thieves heard the wind in advance and transported those ten-odd large jars away?" Li Xuan pressed the people from the three households to come out of the door: "Your Highness, absolutely no possibility. Even if those ten-odd jars of gold juice were transported away by people, there would still be some smell left in the courtyard at least. But these three households are clean and dry, without the slightest trace. We have been deceived!" At this time, the people from the three households, a total of seventeen people, knelt on the ground, their faces ashen: "Generals, spare our lives. We don't know what crime this commoner has committed?" The Crown Prince quickly said: "Everyone, please quickly rise. It is our mistake."

Qi Jian glared fiercely at Chen Ji: "Boy, you heard some hearsay in the market and dared to come and play with the Crown Prince. What crime should that be?" Chen Ji lowered his head and remained silent.

Chen Liqin quickly spurred his horse forward and cupped his hands to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, this humble son is only concerned about the safety of Guyuan. There is no major fault. Fortunately, it only caused Your Highness to make a trip in vain and did not cause any actual loss..." Qi Jian pressed his hand on the long sword at his waist and said coldly: "That's not how you say it. What if Your Highness encountered an assassination tonight, could he bear it?" The Crown Prince suddenly spoke: "Qi Jian, say no more."

He turned and smiled at Chen Ji: "I know Wise Brother Chen Ji is good-hearted. It was just an empty effort this time. What fault can this be considered? Haven't we also had times when we investigated and seized fake merit cases that turned out to be empty? Wise Brother Chen Ji is still young and does things a bit impulsively. It will be fine with more experience, no hindrance."

However, at this moment, Chen Ji, sitting on Zaizai's saddle, suddenly raised his head: "Not right, catch that border army armored soldier... Wait, where is the border army armored soldier who led the way? He just entered the courtyard with you all. Where did he go now?" The Yu Lin Army, holding torches, looked at each other. They searched in the crowd for a long time, but could no longer see the trace of that border army armored soldier! A Yu Lin Army soldier recalled: "He said he wanted to go to the toilet..." Chen Ji said in a condensed voice: "If there were many elm trees inside Shache Street, the person who gave me the message would absolutely not use 'the household with an elm tree in front of the door' as a clue. This is not Shache Street!"

After speaking, he looked at the disturbed commoners inside Shache Street: "What street is this? Is it Shache Street?" The commoners looked blank: "Generals, this is Kule Street. It's still a li away from Shache Street."

Chen Ji said no more, spurred his horse past a young man's side, bent down, lifted the other party's waistband, and left. He instructed the Yu Lin Army without turning his head: "All follow! The border army armored soldier who led the way is a Jing Dynasty spy. At this time, he must have run off to report the news to the Jing Dynasty thieves on Shache Street. They must be found immediately! If they pollute the water in the half-wells of Guyuan City, when the Jing Dynasty Tiance Army arrives, everything will be over!"