Chapter 289: Rabbit and Sheep

As the sun began to rise, Chen Ji walked through the thin morning fog.

He took one step closer, then one step further away, avoiding the corpses on the ground. Sometimes he also had to dodge the mud mixed with blood and yellow soil. Later he stopped dodging, because there were too many bloodstains, and he couldn't avoid them all.

The dark night is gentle; it hides the fresh blood and corpses in invisible places. Only when the sky brightens can you clearly see the tragedy of war.

On the dirt road, border army infantry shuttled among the corpses. They piled the bodies of civilians, border soldiers, and Tian Ce army soldiers onto wooden carts to be pulled away.

When the corpses were stacked high on the wooden carts, arms, legs, and heads hung down limply, lifeless and without dignity!

Some old border soldiers saw suitable boots and immediately sat beside a corpse, grinning and peeling off the corpse's boots to wear them directly on their own feet!

An old border soldier said in surprise, "They fit. These Jing Chao thieves are still strangely good, sending boots from a thousand miles away... comfortable."

Someone laughed and scolded, "You didn't even wash them before wearing them."

The old border soldier blurted out, "If I wash them and hang them outside the tent to dry, who knows which grandson will steal them! The time of Jia Ning twenty-five, I finally managed to get a pair of boots back from Qu Wu Mountain. Before they were even dry after washing, Old Yao wore them!"

As he spoke, the old border soldier suddenly remembered that Old Yao was no longer here; he had just been taken away on another wooden cart!

In silence, someone patted his shoulder: "Find another pair of boots and burn them for Old Yao to use!"

The old border soldier put on the boots, patted his buttocks, stood up, and said with a grin, "Nonsense, what would a dead person do with such good boots? If I find another good pair, I'll hide them and wear them later."

His laughter was uglier than crying!

Chen Ji didn't go back to gather with the others but came to the place where the Long Men Inn shopkeeper had died. The shopkeeper was still sitting in the same spot, maintaining the posture he had in death!

He thought for a moment, then carried the shopkeeper's corpse towards the inn!

He didn't know what possessed him, but he felt he couldn't just leave the shopkeeper here like this!

Along the way, some surviving civilians of Gu Yuan came running wildly, brushing past him!

Someone stood in a daze in front of the burnt ruins of their home, while others pounced on certain corpses, wailing and beating the ground!

Chen Ji walked past them in silence, feeling as if everything had passed, and yet it seemed not to have passed at all!

War will leave scars on everyone, if not on the body, then in the heart!

Coming to the front of the Long Men Inn, Chen Ji shouted inside: "Is anyone there?"

No one answered!

Little Five, Little Six, and the others had gone somewhere!

Chen Ji was silent for a long time, then gently laid the shopkeeper down, making him lean against the right door frame. He himself leaned against the other side, staring blankly at the desolate Gui Zi street!

He said softly, "In the winter of Jia Ning fourteen, General Wen Tao was framed by the Chen family and Xu family and executed by Ling Chi! After that, his subordinate Hu San Ye, and his sworn sister, in order to avenge him, killed the original shopkeeper and workers of Long Men Inn overnight and hung them on the twelve Dao Jing Biao signboards, right?"

The shopkeeper's eyes were closed; it was impossible for him to answer Chen Ji's question, but Chen Ji didn't know who else he could ask!

He only indulged himself in continuing his guess: "Several years later, Hu San Ye and the others discovered that the main culprits were not those shopkeepers and workers, so they resigned from their official positions and secretly entered the capital to seek revenge! General Wen Tao's sworn sister pretended to marry into the Chen family, then set up a scheme, killed the Chen family's Household Department Shang Shu, and brought his head back to Jing Chao, right?"

Still no answer!

Chen Ji sighed. All this was just his guess, and only this guess could explain many things, but even so, there were still many things left unexplained!

Should he investigate or not?

Chen Ji didn't want to investigate!

What did a wrongful case from many years ago have to do with him? He only needed to rescue the county princess. Then, whether he took the county princess far away from Jing Chao or sailed away on a ship, everything else was unrelated to him!

He didn't know how long had passed when Chen Ji came back to his senses, climbed to the third floor, and retrieved their luggage!

He took a clean change of clothes from his luggage and went to the backyard. He took off his ragged clothes and stood in front of the water tank in the yard, pouring ladle after ladle of cold water from his head!

The mud and bloodstains on his body and in his hair were washed away by the ice-cold water!

Only at this moment did Chen Ji feel that he was alive again!

However, just then, the sound of loose roof tiles came from the distance!

He picked up his clothes and darted into the stable, quickly putting on his clothes! When he came out again, he saw Jiao Tu in black clothes, leaning askew on the corner of the Long Men Inn's second-floor eaves, her small legs swinging lightly outside the eaves!

Yun Yang stood beside her, with both hands tucked into his sleeves, his expression cold.

Seeing Chen Ji come out, Jiao Tu covered her mouth and laughed, "Why is the adult so stingy, not letting people see his body! Hearing we were coming, he actually hurried to hide in the stable!"

Yun Yang said coldly, "What does he have that's good to look at."

Chen Ji, while tying his belt, said as if nothing had happened, "What noble business do the two of you have?"

Jiao Tu sat up straight and said profoundly, "Naturally, we came to ask the adult if there are any merits that can be shared with us, so that we can return to our zodiac positions earlier! Has the adult forgotten the things he promised?"

Chen Ji finished tying his belt, leaned against the front of the stable, and guarded himself attentively, but his mouth was relaxed, saying, "Isn't the important matter of Gu Yuan given to you both? This indicates that the Inner Prime Minister adult trusts you, and returning to your zodiac positions is just a matter of time!"

Jiao Tu said carelessly, "That suddenly emerging Mister Feng's momentum is just rising. He lurked in the Liu family for seven long years, and now he's in Gu Yuan overseeing the overall situation. Who knows, perhaps after returning to the capital, he'll want to replace us and become the new zodiac!"

Chen Ji was suspicious in his heart. Jiao Tu and Yun Yang actually didn't know that Mister Feng was Bai Long.

He said without changing his expression, "Why not, the two of you secretly kill him on the way back to the capital. This way, he won't be able to replace you."

Jiao Tu's pale fingers wound around her hair, and she smiled narrowly, "Adult Chen has no good intentions, trying to trick us into going to our deaths? That Mister Feng is unfathomable; we may not fall for it!"

Chen Ji spread his hands: "I'm just offering a suggestion... However, the two adults don't need to worry about this Mister Feng. Perhaps he fundamentally disdains ordinary zodiac positions."

Jiao Tu was startled: "You mean?"

Chen Ji said casually, "Didn't they all say that the Sick Tiger adult wants to retire? Perhaps Mister Feng's return to the capital is to take the Sick Tiger's position."

Jiao Tu and Yun Yang subconsciously exchanged glances, both feeling that what Chen Ji said was more likely!

However, Yun Yang said in a low voice, "Don't waste time with this kid. He's extremely cunning; not every sentence he says can be believed. Who knows what purpose he hides behind these words? Let's get to the proper matter!"

Jiao Tu said seriously, "Adult Chen, the two of us came this time only to dispel any misunderstandings! If we offended you earlier, we hope you, as an adult, will not hold grudges against us!"

Having said that, she stood up and performed a courtesy on the corner of the eaves!

She turned her head and saw that Yun Yang hadn't moved, so she pulled his sleeve. Only then did Yun Yang reluctantly perform a bow!

Chen Ji didn't answer, not knowing what was on their minds!

Jiao Tu continued, "The adult is also about to return to the capital, but he doesn't yet know the dangers of the capital. As subordinates, we naturally want to inform you of one or two things... Does the adult want to listen?"

Chen Ji said casually, "Adult Jiao Tu has changed her temperament and started doing good deeds? Then let's listen and see!"

Jiao Tu shook her head: "I won't speak for free. How does Adult Chen plan to repay me?"

Chen Ji asked, "What does Adult Jiao Tu want?"

Jiao Tu smiled narrowly, "Adult Chen takes off his clothes and lets me see, then I'll speak to Adult Chen!"

Chen Ji raised his eyebrows and heard Yun Yang say angrily, "What do you want to look at him for?"

Jiao Tu laughed so hard she shook: "What are you so anxious about?"

Chen Ji looked at Jiao Tu, then at Yun Yang: "If Adult Jiao Tu wants to use me to provoke Adult Yun Yang, there's no need for it!"

Jiao Tu shouted, "Provoke him for what, it's no fun."

She sat back down on the corner of the eaves, her expression becoming indifferent: "Si Li Lin is indeed a place for raising gu, and coming and going is a common matter, but there are two people you cannot provoke: one is Shan Niu, and the other is Wu Xiu!"

Chen Ji: "Oh?"

Jiao Tu looked lazily at her nails and said slowly and methodically, "Shan Niu guards the Inner Prime Minister adult all around inside Jie Fan Building. He is not in conflict with the world. Provoking him is provoking the Inner Prime Minister, so there will naturally be no good end!"

Chen Ji nodded: "Who is Wu Xiu?"

Jiao Tu slightly narrowed her eyes: "Wu Xiu is the Bing Bi eunuch of Si Li Jian. He is now favored by the emperor and serves by His Majesty's side! This person is sinister and ruthless. He desires to eliminate us and do it quickly. He has just taken the authority of the Jie Fan Guard from the Inner Prime Minister adult. Adult Chen, you must absolutely not let him get hold of any leverage against you!"

Chen Ji said casually, "Adult Jiao Tu is truly kind to remind me."

Yun Yang was about to speak when Jiao Tu raised her head and glared at him. Yun Yang immediately closed his mouth!

She smiled and said to Chen Ji, "Saying this today is only to tell Adult Chen that not only do we use you, but you also use us! Adult Chen, the capital is dangerous. We should help each other and protect each other. You must absolutely not forget the agreement between us!"

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, "Dare not forget!"

Jiao Tu smiled and said, "That's good. When we return to the capital, Yun Yang and I will await the adult's dispatch. The two of us will respectfully wait for your arrival at Si Li Jian!"

Just at this moment, a rustling sound came from inside the stable!

Chen Ji turned his body and suddenly saw Little Five peeking out from the secret passage, with some straw still stuck on his head!

Little Five saw Chen Ji and asked curiously, "Guest official, what... what are you doing here?"

Chen Ji turned his head to look towards the eaves, but Yun Yang and Jiao Tu were no longer there!