Chapter 267: Black Eats Black

In the backyard of Yuancao Tang, the shopkeeper instructed four clerks to carry boxes of ginseng on their backs. He then instructed more than ten other clerks to take out plain knives from the warehouse and hang them on their waists.

He whispered, "You must guard this batch of ginseng well. Bring both the grain and the ginseng back for me. After that, investigate that young man's background. See if he's a formidable figure or just a foolish young man. If he's just a foolish young man, take action directly."

A clerk asked, "If he's a formidable figure, are we just going to let this batch of ginseng fall into his hands?"

The shopkeeper sneered, "Even formidable figures need to be strong enough. Go on."

Chen Ji stood in the main hall, watching the clerks with knives one by one. He casually remarked, "Shopkeeper, your Yuancao Tang is indeed considerate. We've already completed the transaction, yet you still guard this ginseng as if it were your own, as if you're afraid it will be stolen. How righteous!"

The shopkeeper quickly added, "You are a valued customer of my Yuancao Tang. Helping you escort the ginseng can be considered building good karma, lest you be robbed halfway!"

Chen Ji pretended to be surprised and uncertain. "Who would rob me? How would they know there's ginseng in this box? It wouldn't be an acquaintance committing the crime, would it?"

The shopkeeper was startled inwardly. "What do you mean by that, guest officer? Are you suspecting me?"

Chen Ji smiled. "Shopkeeper, you're overthinking. I was referring to that Hu San Ye!"

The shopkeeper followed up, "You might not know, that Hu Lao San is one of the biggest local bullies in Guyuan. He's cunning and ruthless. Many people have fallen into his trap!"

"Oh," Chen Ji asked curiously, "What has he done?"

The shopkeeper recalled, "A big event happened the year I first came to Guyuan! Longmen Inn wasn't originally called Longmen Inn; it was called Fuyun Inn. The owner was one of the biggest local bullies in Guyuan city, surnamed Zhang! Later, that Mr. Zhang provoked this Hu Lao San, and in one night, his entire family was wiped out. The inn owner and twelve clerks were all hung on the twelve imperial commendation archways on Zhongyi Street!"

Chen Ji doubted, "Commendation archways?"

The shopkeeper explained, "Those were archways granted by His Majesty to General Wentao, to show loyalty! After General Wentao was imprisoned, the court initially didn't plan to demolish them to appease the border army. But later, the court eunuch party discovered someone was secretly building a shrine for General Wentao, and inside the shrine were treasonous words cursing the current emperor. The court then demolished both the shrine and the commendation archways together, so you, guest officer, haven't seen them!"

Chen Ji was even more doubtful. This matter didn't seem like a simple fight for power; it involved General Wentao's old case!

He calmly asked, "How did Fuyun Inn provoke Hu Lao San?"

The shopkeeper didn't know the details either, only saying, "It should have been Hu Lao San coveting Fuyun Inn's route for sending people to the Jing Dynasty! Later, I heard the inn was seized by General Wentao's sworn sister and renamed Weiyuan Inn! After a year, I don't know how it was renamed Longmen Inn again. Perhaps it changed owners again!"

Chen Yi's heart stirred!

General Wentao's sworn sister?

He asked softly, "Where did General Wentao's sworn sister go?"

The shopkeeper shook his head. "This I don't know... Guest officer, you should quickly get on your way!"

Chen Ji smiled. "Alright!"

The shopkeeper's eyes shifted, probing, "May I know where the guest officer's grain is stored? It would be good for me to inform the clerks where to send the ginseng!"

Chen Ji said casually, "Duoku Fang, Zhang Ji Grain and Oil Shop!"

The shopkeeper immediately signaled the clerks, "Depart."

"Wait!" Chen Ji said with a smile, "Sending the ginseng alone doesn't require so many people, does it? Four clerks carrying the ginseng are enough! Otherwise, if the neighbors see, they'll all know my house has treasure!"

The shopkeeper said cheerfully, "It's not safe with fewer people."

Chen Ji said meaningfully, "It's even less safe with more people!"

The shopkeeper saw that Chen Ji was vigilant. After thinking for a moment, he waved his hand to the clerks, leaving only the four clerks carrying the boxes!

He cupped his hands to Chen Ji with a smile. "Guest officer, is this alright?"

Chen Ji cupped his hands. "I appreciate your effort, shopkeeper. We'll meet again later!"

The shopkeeper returned the gesture, "We'll meet again later!"

Chen Ji lifted the hem of his robe and stepped over the threshold out of Yuancao Tang. Behind him, the shopkeeper slowly withdrew his smile. "Everyone come out! Two of you quietly follow them, and the others go around, get ahead of him, and find Zhang Ji Grain and Oil Shop in Duoku Fang."

"Yes." More than ten clerks with knives filed out.

Chen Ji walked leisurely. Just as he turned past four streets and was about to go north, he was blocked by a clerk!

The clerk said curiously, "Guest officer, this is not the way to Duoku Fang!"

Chen Ji explained, "I want to take a detour elsewhere. Don't worry, it won't take too long!"

The clerk's voice sank. "Guest officer, this batch of ginseng is quite valuable. We should quickly go to the grain and oil shop. Lest there are many complications with a long night!"

Chen Ji sized up the few people, then smiled and said, "Actually, my grain and oil shop isn't in Duoku Fang. It's in Dong Taohuai Fang!"

The clerks' faces changed. They turned to walk back!

Chen Ji pressed down on his shoulder and asked lightly, "Where are you going?"

The clerk only felt a great force pressing down on his shoulder. His knees almost gave way, and he nearly knelt on the ground. His face changed, and he quickly explained, "Guest officer, I remembered I left something in Yuancao Tang!"

Chen Ji smiled and released his hand. "What's the hurry? Can things in Yuancao Tang still be lost? First, send the ginseng to its destination, then talk about it!"

The clerk endured it. "Okay, I'll do as you say!"

Along the way, the clerk was anxious and uneasy, looking around!

When they arrived at the grain and oil shop, Chen Ji pushed open the door. The clerks saw the courtyard piled high with grain like small mountains, and their eyes suddenly widened!

Chen Ji pointed to the courtyard. "Just put the ginseng on the ground!"

The clerks entered the door, unloaded the boxes from their backs, and greedily looked at the grain!

Chen Ji closed the big door behind them. Hearing the sound of the door closing, the clerks subconsciously looked at the rooms on the left and right, wary of someone killing their way out from inside!

After a moment, the clerks saw that Chen Ji was still alone, and their hearts slightly settled!

One of them circled around and asked with a smile, "Guest officer, why are you closing the door? Could it be that you want us to stay for a New Year's meal before we leave?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "None of you will need to eat lunch later!"

The clerks' faces changed. One of them shouted in a low voice, "Hold him."

As he said this, three clerks drew plain knives from their waists and rushed towards Chen Ji to kill him. The clerk who had spoken exerted himself and jumped, grabbing the eaves, about to escape and report!

But just as he propped himself up and was about to flip onto the roof, he saw a black cat squatting on the gray tiles in front, quietly watching him!

The clerk didn't pay attention to Hei Yun, only treating it as some wild cat!

The next moment, Hei Yun lifted its cat face and lightly waved in the air!

The clerk's pupils suddenly contracted. That claw was clearly still half a step away from him, yet a white blade of light burst out and lightly drew across his neck!

Blood spurted from his neck. The clerk's hands lost strength, and he tilted backward and fell to the ground!

Thud, blood spread out on the ground under the clerk's body. His eyes stared dead at the roof. His breath was gone, yet he was still unwilling to close his eyes!

Hei Yun turned its head to Chen Ji. Chen Ji had just twisted the neck of the last clerk. He waved to it, "Come and eat. Eat your fill this time!"

As he said this, he pulled open a box, revealing the slender, dry old mountain ginseng one by one!

It was Chen Ji's first time seeing so much old mountain ginseng. He casually stroked over it. One by one, the old mountain ginseng absorbed the icy flow and turned into crystal clear beads that fell to the bottom of the box. Hei Yun's eyes brightened. "Fierce, fierce."

Outside the grain and oil shop, the two clerks from Yuancao Tang who were following them sensed that something was wrong when the big door closed!

Just as the two were about to flip into the courtyard to investigate, they heard a thud from inside the courtyard, accompanied by the sound of bones cracking!

They looked at each other, then simultaneously turned and ran. "You go to Duoku Fang to find people. I'll go back to the hall to report to the shopkeeper."

As soon as they finished speaking, the two disappeared at the fork, one to the left and one to the right!

The clerk ran wildly all the way, as fast as possible. It took him about two incense sticks' time to rush back to Yuancao Tang!

The shopkeeper stood at the door. Seeing him rush back panting, his face immediately changed dramatically. "What happened?"

The clerk said urgently, "That boy played black-on-black. The place where he stored the grain is fundamentally not in Duoku Fang. It's in Taohuai Fang. I came back to report to you. Zhao Zhong went to Duoku Fang to call people... Those four clerks who followed him have probably already met with misfortune!"

The shopkeeper cursed angrily, "Damn it, everyone treats my Yuancao Tang as a soft persimmon. Go to the backyard and call people. Bring that boy back to me. I want to personally peel his skin!"

The clerk rushed into the backyard. In a short while, he led out more than ten clerks holding small knives. Without a word, they rushed out!

The shopkeeper stood at the door, gazing at the clerks as they went far away. With a sinister look on his face, he was about to turn back into the room, when he saw a person wearing a conical hat coming towards him!

He said in a low voice, "We're closed. Please go back!"

But he saw the person lift his head, revealing only that gray and white turbid eye under the conical hat!

The shopkeeper was startled. "Hu Lao San."

The shopkeeper wanted to shout for the clerks to save him, but at this moment, he just remembered that he had sent all the clerks out himself!

Hu San Ye didn't say a word. He chopped the shopkeeper on the neck with one hand!

On the street, there were just two night soil carriers pulling a dung cart passing by! Hu San Ye whistled. The night soil carriers put down the head of the cart, stuffed the shopkeeper into the dung cart, and left!

Several other passersby silently approached. They closed the door panels of Yuancao Tang, isolating everything!

After a moment, these few passersby removed the door panels again and carried away box after box of wild mountain ginseng, leaving only Hu San Ye standing in Yuancao Tang!

Hu San Ye stuffed all the nine strings of Buddhist Gate coins that Chen Ji had just delivered to the shopkeeper into his embrace. Only then did he leave as if nothing had happened!

From beginning to end, no one said a word!

Just at this moment, an urgent bell rang again in Guyuan city. Hu San Ye suddenly turned his head, only to see the large flag of the Guyuan border army slowly falling from the battlement of the distant city wall!

Hu Jun Xian wants to open the city and offer surrender.

I'll take tomorrow off to ask for leave. I see that Yue Wen's schedule is packed: morning rehearsal, afternoon meeting, evening grand ceremony...