Chapter 180: Blood Letter

Chen Ji didn't wait for the iron door to open before stepping sideways into the inner prison.

He descended the narrow stairs, absentmindedly asking, "This morning, did Lord Bailong bring Jing Wang, the Shizi, and the Junzhu here?"

The jail guard following behind him said, "Reporting to your honor, Jing Wang is currently imprisoned in Cell Jiazi Number One. The Shizi and Junzhu are in the adjacent Cell Jiazi Number Seven, not far away. Your honor, Lord Bailong specifically instructed that no one is allowed to talk to them arbitrarily. Please, don't make things difficult for this humble guard."

Chen Ji stopped on the stone stairs, calmly turning his head to look at the jail guard.

The jail guard lowered his head, not daring to make eye contact. After a long time, he said, "But Lord Bailong is not here at the moment. It should be alright for you to say a few words to them."

Chen Ji continued forward.

Many people from Jing Wang Fu were imprisoned here. Along the way, Chunhua, Chunrong, Xibing... when they saw Chen Ji, they cried out their injustices and pleaded for their lives with heartbreaking shouts.

As he passed through the corridor between the cells, the cold, damp, and foul stench from inside the cells assailed his nostrils.

When he passed Cell Jiazi Number Seven, Chen Ji looked in disbelief at the cell's interior. The Shizi's hair was disheveled, and Baili, in a set of white clothes covered in dust, looked like a bright pearl covered in dirt.

How could you be locked in this kind of place?

However, Chen Ji said nothing, only calmly turned his head away, his feet not stopping.

When the Shizi saw Chen Ji passing by, he frantically tried to rush to the edge of the cell, but was tightly held back by Baili.

She lowered her head, her expression hidden by her scattered hair, and whispered, "Don't go. Brother, I beg you, don't involve him."

The Shizi turned his head and saw his sister's tears falling one by one onto the straw on the ground. He slowly relaxed his body and dejectedly sat back down on the ground, his eyes wide as he watched Chen Ji pass by the door and disappear from sight.

Chen Ji arrived at the door of Cell Jiazi Number One and looked at Jing Wang, who was sitting at a desk, calmly flipping through a book.

He turned to the jail guard and asked, "I'll say a few words to Jing Wang. Is that alright?" The jail guard looked embarrassed.

Chen Ji took out a ten-tael silver ingot from his sleeve: "Either take the silver ingot, or wait to die." The jail guard hurriedly pocketed the silver and retreated to a distant spot to stand guard for Jing Wang and Chen Ji.

At this moment, Jing Wang saw Chen Ji approach, smiled, and stood up to come to the edge of the cell: "How did you get here?"

Chen Ji noticed Jing Wang's face was gaunt and that he looked utterly exhausted: "Wang Ye, was it worth it?"

Jing Wang smiled and answered with a different question: "Chen Ji, do you know? The Ning Dynasty is going to perish."

"Hmm?"

Jing Wang held the book scroll in his hand, his gaze sweeping over Chen Ji and looking towards the end of the long corridor: "In the winter of Jianing's Eleventh Year, I led troops to suppress a rebellion. Finally, the troops were trapped in Liu State. Everyone said they were bandits, but they were actually raised by the Yang family. If A-Yi hadn't begged my father-in-law to mediate with the Yang family, I would have truly died there."

"When His Majesty first ascended the throne, he once sent an imperial envoy to patrol the salt in Liangjiang, but the people sent either colluded with the Xu family and the Yang family, or were burned to death in a fire at home, or fell into the water and died on a boat. The court sent thirteen imperial envoys in two years, and seven died. That honest and upright Lord Hai, who once carried a coffin to meet His Majesty, came to Yu State to measure fields and demanded that the Liu family return the fields to the people. In the end, he could only leave dejectedly."

"Chen Ji, do you perhaps know that the border army soldiers haven't been issued rations for three years? How many more three years can they wait? If heaven and earth cannot be remade, the people of the Ning Dynasty will suffer terribly."

Chen Ji calmly said, "So, Wang Ye and His Majesty conspired to use extreme means to drag the Liu family down with them?"

Jing Wang smiled and said, "The relatives Liu family, the Jin Party Hu family, the Xu Party's Xu family and Yang family, your Donglin Chen family, the censors supervising the Qi Party, usually fight endlessly. But when facing imperial power, they will suddenly unite against a common enemy, whom no one can touch. Without these extraordinary means, the Liu family cannot be removed..."

Chen Ji interrupted Jing Wang's words and said seriously and sincerely, "Wang Ye, I don't understand what you all want to do, nor do I care what you all want to do. I just feel that the Shizi and Baili shouldn't die with you; they are innocent. Wang Ye, they are your children. Think of a way out for them."

Jing Wang stood silently in the cell. He slowly said, "His Majesty once promised me that he would let Yunxi inherit the position of Jing Wang."

Chen Ji suddenly laughed. He grabbed the cast iron bars of the cell and stared directly at Jing Wang: "Wang Ye, are you someone who so easily believes others? Do you yourself believe it? You clearly are not someone who is tied up and captured by nature, yet you were so easily locked into the inner prison. You clearly already entrusted your orphan to me, which means you knew this day would come early! Who are you still plotting against at this moment? Wang Ye, don't wait any longer. If you wait any longer, Baili will die with you!"

Jing Wang carefully sized up Chen Ji. He bit his finger and wrote a blood letter on the book: "Send this letter with the seal to the Qiansui Army and give it to General Wang. Report the secret order that the mountains and rivers are safe. He will lead troops to rob the prison here. From now on, are you willing to take Baili into the jianghu, change your name and hide, and protect her safety?"

Saying that, he tore that page from the book and handed it out.

Chen Ji reached out his hand, but Jing Wang withdrew his hand: "You still haven't answered me." Chen Ji took a deep breath: "Willing."

He took the page from Jing Wang's hand and stuffed it into his bosom. He turned and walked towards the outside. Jing Wang suddenly said behind him, "Chen Ji, I'm sorry."

Chen Ji was startled for a moment and turned his head to look: "Wang Ye, what matter are you referring to?" Jing Wang smiled without answering and waved his hand, indicating for him to leave quickly.

Chen Ji touched his chest, only feeling the hidden blood letter inside as heavy as a thousand jun. If he were to save the Shizi and Junzhu, relying on him alone would be absolutely unfeasible. He must have the assistance of the Qiansui Army.

In the dim inner prison corridor, he stopped his feet again as he passed Cell Jiazi Number Seven, silently looking inside.

Baili had originally lowered her head. She heard lingering footsteps and finally couldn't help but lift her head to make eye contact with Chen Ji.

Chen Ji's gaze shifted slightly: "Don't be afraid. Nothing will happen."

Before Baili could respond, they heard the creak, creak sound of the iron door in front, and Lord Bailong's muffled voice wearing a mask came: "Go to Yingxian Lou at noon and order a table of food and drink. Although Jing Wang is imprisoned here, he is after all a powerful vassal king at the peak of his prestige in our dynasty. Don't neglect his diet and daily life..."

Chen Ji hurriedly left the front of Baili's cell door.

In the narrow corridor, he saw only Lord Bailong and Yunyang approaching face to face. Chen Ji had nowhere to go.

Lord Bailong sized him up: "Come to visit Jing Wang and the Junzhu?" Chen Ji didn't speak.

Lord Bailong said with interest, "No need to worry. Visiting friends is a common human emotion. If you could have the heart not to come, I would find it strange. Our dynasty's law also states that relatives concealing each other may not discuss crime and punishment."

Chen Ji said softly, "Lord Bailong is magnanimous. This humble guard admires you."

Lord Bailong's tone changed: "But young man, you need to understand. Firstly, you are only friends with them, not relatives. Secondly, rebellion is a great crime and is not within the scope of this law of relatives concealing each other. If you harbor rebels, regardless of relatives and friends, you are all equally guilty."

Chen Ji hurriedly cupped his fists: "This humble guard understands."

Lord Bailong laughed heartily: "In my secret spy department, you need to understand that emotion is emotion, and duty is duty. You are a smart person. I believe you can distinguish clearly. Now Yunfei is still on the run. If you all cannot find her, none of you will have good days. Go."

Chen Ji cupped his fists and said, "This humble guard understands."

He lowered his head and hurriedly passed by Lord Bailong. However, Yunyang beside him suddenly grabbed his arm: "Wait."

Chen Ji slowly turned his head: "Yunyang, do you have any instructions?"

Yunyang smiled and said, "I heard that the imperial edict for your and Xifeng's promotion has already arrived. Allow me to congratulate you in advance."

Chen Ji was startled: "Thank you very much, Yunyang. I will go attend to matters first."

He struggled free from Yunyang's hand and walked straight out of the inner prison. It wasn't until he was outside the inner prison and smelled fresh air that he let out a long breath.

Chen Ji galloped on horseback with the sealed blood letter in his bosom. The Qiansui Army camp was located eighty li south of Luocheng. By the time he rushed to the front of the camp, the warhorse beneath him was dripping with sweat and foaming at the mouth.

Time waits for no one.

Someone on the camp's arrow tower shouted loudly, "Stop, coming person! Any further, and you will be shot to death by random arrows!"

Chen Ji pulled the reins, and the warhorse paced back and forth tiredly in front of the camp gate. He shouted loudly, "The mountains and rivers are safe! I have an important matter to see General Wang!"

As soon as the soldier on the arrow tower heard "The mountains and rivers are safe," he immediately raised a black command flag and waved it towards the depths of the camp.

A moment later, the camp's gate was pulled open, and General Wang strode out alone. He looked at Chen Ji's warhorse and frowned: "It's you. Where did you come from, and how did you urge your warhorse to this state?"

Chen Ji jumped off the horse, took the blood letter from his bosom, and handed it to the other party: "This is a blood letter written by Wang Ye. Please, General Wang, open it yourself."

General Wang took the letter and unfolded it, his face changing: "Wang Ye has already been locked in the inner prison by the eunuch party?"

"Correct."

General Wang frowned for a long time, then raised his eyes to look at Chen Ji: "Now, the south gate of Luocheng is heavily guarded. We need to change into common clothes and sneak into the city in batches with the identity of tenant farmers. Young man, you go back first. At the zi hour tonight, wait at the entrance of Tuoluo Temple for a rendezvous and lead us to the inner prison!"

Chen Ji stared directly at General Wang: "No, I will go with the Qiansui Army. If I don't personally see the Qiansui Army dispatch troops, I won't be at ease."

General Wang thought for a moment: "Alright then, you go to the central army tent to rest for a while. I will call the generals now!" Chen Ji shook his head: "I will just wait here. I'm not going anywhere."

"The young man is indeed cautious," General Wang said helplessly and could only whistle loudly to gather the soldiers. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the footsteps inside the Qiansui Army camp were like thunder, surging like waves. Over a thousand soldiers crisscrossed on the drill ground, forming a majestic military formation.

It wasn't until this moment that Chen Ji's heart settled slightly.

He moved slightly to the side to avoid obstructing the formation's line of sight. However, with just a turn of his head, General Wang beside him was already nowhere to be seen.

Chen Ji was startled. He pulled a deputy general: "Where is your General Wang?"

The deputy general frowned: "General Wang has gone to do his own business. Who are you, and why are you appearing in our Qiansui Army camp?"

Chen Ji said angrily, "I ask you, do you know why General Wang summoned all of you?"

The deputy general said, "The command flag instructed us to conduct a routine drill. It didn't say anything about any matter." Chen Ji's heart slowly sank into the abyss. He turned his head and saw General Wang's back riding a fast horse, galloping out of the camp alone!

No wonder Lord Bailong didn't search his body just now. It turned out the other party simply didn't care. Even if Jing Wang truly transmitted a message outside, this message would still go back to Lord Bailong's hands.

Chen Ji grabbed the deputy general and roared angrily, "Jing Wang is currently imprisoned in the inner prison! I brought his blood letter to request General Wang's rescue, but General Wang just ran away alone!"

The deputy general was somewhat surprised: "Wang Ye's blood letter? Where is the blood letter?"

"Naturally, it's in General Wang's hands!" Chen Ji said fiercely, "Now he is carrying the blood letter and I don't know where he's going. All of you quickly follow me to Luocheng."

The deputy general slowly calmed down and retreated backward: "Come, men! This person is a remnant of the Liu family! Take him down!"

A chill went down Chen Ji's spine.