Chapter 257: Hall of Supreme Purity, Palace of Great Brightness

People from Luocheng, with killing intent in sulfur.

Chen Ji fell into deep thought. A group of people came from far away from Luocheng. Why would they hide in Taohuai Lane to make firearms?

Old Wu connected with Jing Chao, and at the same time passed notes to this group of Luocheng people... Are these firearms to blow open the city gate? No, it's not that simple.

Chen Ji turned his head to look out the window. In the distance on the city wall, the figures of border army came and went.

The busyness on the city wall and the quietness inside the city were like two worlds. And the secrets of Guyuan seemed to hide in Taohuai Lane.

At this time, Xiao Man took out several white flour steamed buns and a dish of pickled vegetables, and a dish of cured meat from the food box and placed them on the table: "Everyone, come eat dinner... Young Master."

Before she finished speaking, she lifted her head and saw Chen Ji turning around to go out: "You all eat first, I have to go out for a trip."

Chen Ji picked up the whale knife leaning against the door, thought for a moment, then put it down again.

Zhang Xia curiously said: "Are you going to Taohuai Lane to investigate? I suspect there are secret agents..."

She recalled: "When I passed there, at the Baofeng Zhai dim sum shop on the street, everything was clearly searched by the border army, but the boss was still opening for business. He sat in the doorway, just able to see everyone on East Street. The proprietress at Wang Ji Tailor Shop was wearing ill-fitting clothes... At that time, I only dared to pretend to be a passerby. You must be careful."

"Rest assured, nothing will happen," Chen Ji smiled: "I truly hope I could have a brain like Second Miss."

Zhang Xia also smiled: "I, on the contrary, hope I have a male body."

Chen Ji pulled open the door. Xiao Man hurriedly picked up two steamed buns, wrapped them in a clean white cloth, walked to the doorway, and stuffed them into his arms: "Young Master, you haven't eaten all day. Take two steamed buns to eat on the road!"

Chen Ji carried the steamed buns and went out. He didn't ride a horse, but took big bites of the steamed buns while striding quickly towards Taohuai Lane.

Along the way, there were no vendors, no one setting up stalls. Neighbors stood in groups outside their houses, loudly complaining about the porridge boiled by the border army, counting how much grain was requisitioned from their homes.

Chen Ji passed through the crowd and heard someone loudly say: "They took away more than ten jin of millet, five jin of corn, and one sauce jar of pickled cabbage from my home, and the result is just giving us such thin porridge to drink."

"Yes, ah. The border army also took a string of cured sausages from my home. That was what I just made before the New Year!"

"Let's go find the border army together to reason with them. Does the court give the common people a way to live or not?"

"Old Li, did your home still hide grain? I just smelled a fragrant smell coming from your home. Can you lend me one jin?"

Old Li hurriedly waved his hand: "No, no. My home definitely didn't hide grain. Don't slander people!"

Chen Ji walked through the noise, lowered his head, and finished the steamed bun in his hand.

Arriving at Taohuai Lane, he smelled the sulfur from afar. Sulfur itself has no smell, but it combines with organic matter to produce hydrogen sulfide gas. The sour rotten egg smell lingered and was unremovable.

When Chen Ji walked into Taohuai Lane Quli Jie, the street surface was calm and peaceful, as if nothing had happened.

The boss of Baofeng Zhai, the proprietress of the tailor shop, their gazes only touched him for a moment then separated again, as if nothing had happened, doing their own things.

The next moment, when Chen Ji swaggered towards Li Yuanwai's door.

The boss of Baofeng Zhai, the proprietress of the tailor shop, and the elderly watchman squatting at the base of the wall sleeping, suddenly looked at him again.

Those gazes were like a net, covering him from all directions. Every step he took, the others' gazes turned a bit.

The boss of Baofeng Zhai slowly drew out a short knife from his sleeve. The proprietress of the tailor shop drew out a soft sword from her waistband.

Dong dong dong.

Chen Ji knocked on the courtyard door as if no one else was there.

The door creaked open, revealing a palm-sized gap.

A middle-aged man coldly looked out from the door gap: "Young man, walked to the wrong place, didn't you?"

Chen Ji said with a smile: "I came to find someone."

The middle-aged man was expressionless: "I see you didn't come to find someone, you came to find death..."

Before he finished speaking, Chen Ji took out his Haidongqing tooth token from his sleeve and held it in front of the door gap.

The middle-aged man's eyes widened little by little: "Adult."

Indeed, these are people from the Secret Spy Agency!

Chen Ji put away the token, stared at the middle-aged man, and asked: "What, you're not letting me in?"

The middle-aged man hesitated. For a time, he couldn't make up his mind and only turned back to look behind him.

Chen Ji immediately confirmed that in this courtyard, there must be someone of the same rank as himself, or even a higher official position great secret spy.

He calmly asked: "Who is in charge here in your place?"

But he heard someone from the courtyard laugh lightly: "Forget it, let him come in."

As these words came out, including the boss of Baofeng Zhai and the proprietress of the tailor shop, they all withdrew their weapons. The elderly watchman squatted back on the ground, hugging his arms to continue dozing.

The man slowly pulled open the door, revealing more than ten secret spies behind him, holding knives and axes with killing intent surging.

And among these more than ten secret spies stood a middle-aged scholar.

Chen Ji's pupils slightly contracted, cupped his hands in salute: "Mr. Feng, long time no see. I hope you are well."

"Adult Chen, you and I are both Haidongqing, no need for excessive courtesy."

In the courtyard, the middle-aged scholar in a green robe held a scroll in his right hand and was still pinching a segment of just-peeled orange in his left hand, looking at Chen Ji with a smile that was not a smile.

Mr. Feng, White Dragon!

Indeed, it is White Dragon personally coming to Guyuan!

'Mr. Feng' waved his hand to the secret spies: "Go out, everyone. I will talk with Adult Chen alone."

The secret spies cupped their fists: "Yes."

Someone blew a copper whistle, emitting three crisp magpie calls, and they filed out from the courtyard gate. Even the sound of departing footsteps came from the roof ridge.

After the courtyard door closed, Mr. Feng put down the book in his hand and smiled as he sat on the stone bench in the courtyard: "This seat was truly worried you would shout 'White Dragon Adult.' At that time, this seat would be afraid he would have to kill all the secret spies who heard it. These are all capable subordinates; killing them is too wasteful."

Chen Ji said without changing his expression: "Adult, why did you change back to Mr. Feng's identity to come to this Guyuan?"

White Dragon said with a smile: "When did it become your turn to ask about this seat's plans? This seat was still puzzled a few days ago when I saw you, wondering how you also came to Guyuan."

Chen Ji was puzzled: "Wasn't it you who found ways to transfer away the advisors by the Prince's side, prompting the Prince to summon the Chen family?"

White Dragon said indifferently: "The advisors by his side were indeed transferred away by this seat. I transferred two before leaving the capital, killed two after leaving the capital, and one more is not found; I don't know where he's hidden. But this was prepared for after you returned to the capital. I didn't expect to use it in advance, but it's also good, saving trouble."

Indeed!

Chen Ji softly asked: "White Dragon Adult wants me to approach the Prince, for what matter?"

White Dragon counter-asked: "Then for what are you approaching the Prince? This seat previously only instructed you to lurk in the Chen family, but didn't tell you to approach the Prince."

Chen Ji silently did not speak.

White Dragon laughed loudly: "Even if you don't say it, this seat can guess. You approached the Prince, nothing more than because the place where the Princess is under house arrest, Jingyang Palace, is just next to the Prince's Zhongcui Palace. The East Six Palaces are separated by one street, less than six zhang distance. You ask this seat why I arranged for you to approach the Prince, just to fulfill you."

Zhongcui Palace, Jingyang Palace, one on the left and one on the right, separated by one door.

Chen Ji exhausted all his efforts to catch spies and protect the Prince, just to have an identity to walk to that door, to glance into Jingyang Palace.

He knew this matter couldn't be hidden from White Dragon, but it was absolutely not as simple as the other said. The first of the Twelve Zodiacs, who kills at will, how could he have such a good heart to fulfill him? There wasn't a single truth in his mouth.

The other person letting him approach the Prince must have a bigger plot.

White Dragon scrutinized Chen Ji: "How did you find this place? Old Wu doesn't know about the matters in Taohuai Lane."

After speaking, he lowered his head in thought: "Could it be that the sulfur smell gathered in this lane attracted you? So, you know that the firearm formula needs sulfur... How did you know?"

Chen Ji was startled in his heart. White Dragon's thoughts were too keen.

He hurriedly explained: "It was the boss of Baofeng Zhai and the proprietress of the tailor shop on this street who exposed themselves. I observed for two days, then discovered this place."

White Dragon sighed: "A group of fools, can't even hide well. After finishing the matters in Guyuan, send them all back to Wunian Mountain to train for a few more years. Instead, you have now gained the Prince's favor, very good."

Chen Ji cupped his hands and asked: "Adult, what do you need me to do next?"

White Dragon pondered for a moment: "Watch the Prince closely. Whoever he sees, where he goes, all must be reported to this seat daily."

Chen Ji carefully probed: "Adult, what are you going to do?"

White Dragon said with a smile: "If this seat says, this seat plans to eliminate the Prince for Prince Fu, do you believe it?"

Chen Ji did not believe it.