Chapter 114: Spectator

“Now just trial!

In the distance, fierce fire burned the red dawn clouds; nearby, the river water was like ink.

Jin Zhu’s usual smiling, squinting expression was gone, replaced by a direct stare at Chen Ji Yin in the river: "Today, the Liu family suddenly set an ambush to surround and kill me. If not for Tian Ma’s arrival, I would probably be dead on the bridge. I don't understand who is making mischief behind the scenes, how can I sleep well?"

Saying this, Jin Zhu disregarded Shopkeeper Yuan’s curses, actually stepping on the other party’s hands and feet, brutally crushing both the tibia and radius bones. Only then did he let out a long sigh of relief. Tonight, he truly believed he would die.

Chen Ji stepped on the goose egg stones beneath his feet, slowly wading ashore: “Jin Zhu *daren* wouldn’t suspect I have a problem, right? If I were a Jing Chao secret agent, why bother fighting to the death to chase? If I hadn't delayed for time, presumably *daren* wouldn't have caught him so easily.”

“What if you two are acting together?” Jin Zhu said viciously: “The Liu family set an ambush on the bridge today, and you were precisely changing masks with someone before going on the bridge. I have reason to suspect you. You knew in advance that Peony Bridge was dangerous.”

Chen Ji calmly said: “*Daren*, the idea of the face-changing county wasn't proposed by me. Moreover, if I really were an accomplice of a Jing Chao thief, or an accomplice of the Liu family, I should have gone onto the bridge with *daren*, right? The person they wanted to kill was you, not me.”

Jin Zhu was startled. Yes.

If Chen Ji was a Jing Chao thief, going onto the bridge wouldn't have been dangerous.

However, Jin Zhu hardened his heart: “Today, I won’t trust anyone. Don’t blame me for being suspicious. Whoever escapes from death will suspect everyone around them thoroughly. It’s still that same saying. If I suspect wrongly, I will naturally find a way to compensate!”

Saying this, he turned his head to look at Meng Ji: “Trial, trial finishes and then we’ll know what’s what.”

Meng Ji looked at the ground covered in mud and dead grass on the tidal flat, fanning his nose with his palm holding an orchid finger. Disgusted, he said: “Must we trial now? Can’t we find a slightly cleaner place?”

Jin Zhu didn’t want to wait for a moment. He took off a string of Buddhist beads, a common treasure from his left wrist, and handed it over: “Trial.”

Meng Ji took the Buddhist beads, carefully examining the engraved text on the beads. Only then did he put it on his wrist, his eyebrows raised and eyes smiling as he said: “Tsk tsk, this price is enough for me to perform a first-class dream. Boss Jin Zhu is generous! The money bag of our secret spy department is indeed full of oil and water.”

Saying this, he lifted his clothes hem and sat cross-legged on the ground, gently biting open his finger. He drew a symbol with fresh blood, then wrapped Shopkeeper Yuan’s hair with the symbol paper and swallowed it. Chen Ji saw that ball of symbol paper, like an egg, slide down Meng Ji’s throat. Afterward, Meng Ji’s eyes suddenly rolled up, leaving only the whites visible. Shopkeeper Yuan, lying on the ground,’s cursing voice suddenly stopped, like Meng Ji, only the whites of his eyes were visible.

Jin Zhu got straight to the point, “What is your duty?”

Shopkeeper Yuan’s eyes were vacant: “I am under Lu Guan Wu, the Military Strategy Envoy of Jing Chao, the newly appointed Si Cao Xin. I lurk with the identity of the Hundred Deer Pavilion shopkeeper, unifying the management of all affairs in Luo City.”

Jin Zhu asked in a deep voice: “When did you all re-establish contact with the Liu family and how did you establish contact?”

Shopkeeper Yuan answered: “The day before yesterday, Zhang Guo Er of the Liu family visited Hundred Deer Pavilion. The other side said someone, unknown like a god or ghost, had snuck into the Liu family mansion and left a paper strip, exposing all your identities. And let Liu Ming directly come to me to seek verification.”

Jin Zhu’s face changed. He gave Chen Ji a warning look, then solemnly asked: “Did the Liu family not say who left the paper strip?”

Shopkeeper Yuan answered calmly: “The Liu family also doesn’t know.”

“The Liu family also doesn't know? Their mansion is strictly guarded, how could someone sneak in and they not know?” Jin Zhu said in surprise: “Then do you know or not?”

Shopkeeper Yuan actually hesitated for a moment this time: “It should be Si Lord. Only Si Lord can be so divine and vast.”

Jin Zhu’s expression turned stern. The Military Affairs Si Lord had already arrived in Luo City.

He asked in a low voice: “Who is Si Lord, and where is he?”

“Don’t know. Si Lord’s identity is mysterious. Only he contacts me, I cannot contact him.”

Jin Zhu looked at Shopkeeper Yuan, then at Chen Ji. This medical hall apprentice definitely didn’t have the ability to sneak into the Liu family mansion.

He suddenly asked: “Since you unify the management of Luo City affairs, you should know all the spies. Then I ask you, do you know Chen Ji?”

Shopkeeper Yuan slightly furrowed his brow: “Who is Chen Ji?”

“The boy who was chasing and killing you just now.”

“Don’t know!”

Jin Zhu was unwilling: “He’s not your Jing Chao spy?”

“Not!”

Jin Zhu was speechless.

He had been suspecting Chen Ji was a Jing Chao spy every day, but if even the Military Affairs Si Cao who managed all affairs in Luo City said Chen Ji wasn't, what was he still suspecting?

Under the shadow of the willow tree by the river, Old Man Yao held Hei Yun in his arms, silently watching the riverbank below. Hei Yun was a bit doubtful: “Why did Chen Ji chase and kill Shopkeeper Yuan like his life depended on it? They don’t seem to have any enmity!”

Old Man Yao sneered: “That boy is probably eyeing the ginseng in someone’s warehouse. Which family’s good person would scheme to get the ginseng in the pharmacy and just lure the shopkeeper out to kill them?”

However, just at this moment.

Old Man Yao thought for a moment: “Wait, the paper strip he had you send to the Liu family said; ‘Si Lord is fake, may seek Hundred Deer Pavilion shopkeeper to verify’! Actually, he only needed to write ‘Si Lord is fake’, that would be enough to trap Jin Zhu. Why also drag in this Hundred Deer Pavilion shopkeeper?”

Hei Yun said: “This I know.”

“Oh?”

Hei Yun explained: “Chen Ji said, Jin Zhu is suspicious. He wanted to find a ‘not a Jing Chao spy’ person evidence for himself. And the best candidate for this person evidence is that Shopkeeper Yuan of Hundred Deer Pavilion.”

Old Man Yao was silent.

Yes.

What person evidence could be more persuasive than a Jing Chao Military Affairs Si Cao?

Whether Chen Ji was a Jing Chao spy!

Did Shopkeeper Yuan of Hundred Deer Pavilion know Chen Ji’s identity? “He really didn’t know.”

No wonder Chen Ji chased Shopkeeper Yuan as if his life depended on it. This was worrying that his person evidence would run away.

Old Man Yao smiled, “Chen Ji’s abacus is indeed hitting loudly. But he probably didn’t think this boy Jin Zhu could be suspicious to what degree. Moreover, look.”

At this time, Jin Zhu walked back and forth around Shopkeeper Yuan with his hands behind his back, “How is it possible not? Hey, Meng Ji, is your dream reliable or not?”

Meng Ji slowly opened his eyes, coldly laughing: “If you doubt, then simply don't ask me to come. Asking me to come and then not believing me, what’s the meaning? Even the inner minister *daren* doesn’t doubt me, are you more fierce than the inner minister *daren*?”

Jin Zhu said irritably: “Never mind that. Continue trial Chen Ji.”

Meng Ji tidied his temples a bit: “You should think carefully. I have already tried this boy once before. That time, it was already confirmed he is not a Jing Chao spy. I advise you to curb your suspicious nature and not waste money.”

Jin Zhu again took off a string of Buddhist beads, a common treasure, from his right wrist: “Trial.”

Meng Ji turned a corner and said, “Oh,” “Day isn't over for trying this medical hall apprentice, actually digging out the family’s entire bottom.”

Chen Ji furrowed his brow: “Jin Zhu *daren*, even this Jing Chao Si Cao says I’m not a spy, you still suspect me? Must I have a crime pinned on my head to be satisfied?”

Jin Zhu’s smile didn’t reach his eyes: “True gold fears no fire. If you really have no problem, then cut a strand of hair and give it to Meng Ji to prove your innocence.”

Saying this, he handed the short knife to Chen Ji.

In the middle of the river, Tian Ma stood on the bow of the ship, coldly watching the riverbank. Chen Ji and Jin Zhu stared at each other for a long time, finally taking the short knife and cutting off a strand of hair.

Meng Ji re-drew a symbol, used symbol paper to wrap Chen Ji’s hair, and swallowed it.

The next moment, Chen Ji felt a wave of sleepiness wash over him.

In a trance, Chen Ji returned to the Zhou family study room.

With a boom, the fires in the twenty-six lamp furnaces inside his body ignited.

Chen Ji remembered he had regained consciousness precisely like this last time. At this moment, he could only bet that it would work this time too.

Wait.

Chen Ji suddenly felt a bit strange: “He fundamentally didn’t lose consciousness this time.”

He remembered he was Chen Ji, and also remembered he was currently being trialed. Last time was clearly not like this.

Just within this dream realm, a grand voice like a bronze bell penetrated the sky and transmitted: “Are you a Jing Chao spy?”

Chen Ji answered: “Not.”

“Did you send the paper strip to the Liu family!”

“Not!”

“Do you know who sent the paper strip to the Liu family?”

“Don’t know!”

“Do you know the Liu family would set an ambush tonight!”

“Don’t know!”

Jin Zhu was silent, no longer asking questions.

Chen Ji’s heart was extremely surprised. This was too strange. He originally thought he would have to bet his life on everything.

But the reality was, he fundamentally didn’t need to suffer the constraints of this dream realm.

Because he had already solved the dream last time, so he would no longer be controlled by Meng Ji?

Or was there another hidden reason?

Yet, he heard Jin Zhu’s voice outside the dream realm suddenly ask again: “Do you know who used the firearm to bomb me last time?”

Chen Ji answered: “Don’t know!”

Jin Zhu said as if possessed: “Good, nothing to trial.”

Until this time, Meng Ji slowly walked into the Zhou family study room, asking with great interest: “Boy, did you walk on some dog shit luck to get that *daren*'s favor?”

Chen Ji furrowed his brow: “Who?”

Meng Ji was startled: “Really walked on dog shit luck, actually doesn’t know anything. No fun.”

The dream realm suddenly dissipated, and the Zhou family world gradually faded.

Chen Ji heard the sound of the Luo River flowing again, seeing the swaying firelight in the distance.

He subconsciously looked towards Meng Ji, yet saw the other not looking at himself, only standing up and patting off the dust, saying slowly and methodically: “OK, what should be asked has been asked. Can I go back to Kaifeng Prefecture? The day after tomorrow, the Master of the Cloud Sea Troupe will set up a stage in Kaifeng Prefecture to sing a play. I heard they are going to sing ‘Fixing West Mountain’, I definitely don’t want to miss it.”

Jin Zhu was silent for a long time: “Yes, hard work.”

Meng Ji said contemptuously: “Our secret spy department still hasn’t caught a spy of this level of Si Cao. Clearly picked up a sky-high merit, why still have a worried, bitter face appearance? No meaning, I’m leaving.”

Saying this, he gave Chen Ji a meaningful look, turned and walked towards the riverbank. In the distance, under the shadow of a willow tree, Old Man Yao smiled and touched Hei Yun’s head, “Lively seen, we should go home too.”

Hei Yun was startled: “Master, did you really just watch the lively?”

“Otherwise?”

“I still thought you would help him?”

Old Man Yao sneered: “What do I rely on to help him? This old man just doesn’t care about his dog fart messy idle matters...”