Chapter 211: General Wang

Outside the Zhang residence, in Cuiyun Alley, twenty tables were set up. Roast chicken, red braised pork elbow, red stewed big carp, and dishes like sliced meat in soup were served in a continuous stream, like flowing water. Neighbors sat down to eat, and when one table was finished, they would leave, and another group of people would come to eat. This is the origin of the "flowing banquet."

Inside the Zhang residence, honored guests were arranged in eight courtyards. Each courtyard had a rectangular low table that could seat eighteen people, and the dishes and pastries were laid out in dazzling abundance.

Before the main meal began, the invited high officials and nobles gathered, offering congratulations one by one to Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin.

Chen Ji and Xiao Man stood side by side under a walnut tree in the corner of the courtyard, watching from afar as Zhang Zhuo and Chen Liqin, like the sun and moon of Luocheng, were surrounded by stars.

Xiao Man asked in a low voice, "Young master, how did you become acquainted with the Zhang family? Your relationship seems extremely good. Rumor has it that the Zhang family's second young lady is very fierce and never gives outsiders a good face, yet she specially wrote an invitation for you."

Chen Ji said without changing his expression, "Where do you get so many questions? You weren't this fond of prying into matters before."

Xiao Man widened her eyes, "Young master, have you forgotten? Xiao Man loves to hear about the Zhang family's affairs and the Li family's gossip the most, it's like an accompaniment to meals."

Chen Ji, "......This isn't a good habit."

Xiao Man pouted, "Aunt also particularly loves listening to the Zhang family's affairs and the Li family's gossip. I remember when I was young, I followed her to her estate in the capital suburbs to check accounts. When she heard a group of old ladies chatting idly at the village entrance, she had someone move a chair for her to listen for an afternoon."

Chen Ji was puzzled, "What did they talk about?"

Xiao Man recalled, "First they talked about the two old widowers in the village getting together in the middle of the night. They also said that a certain family's wife in the village was bought from Tongzhou. They also said that so-and-so's family had no son, and their relatives would probably eat up their family line. Aunt listened very attentively at the time."

Chen Ji opened his mouth but couldn't find the words for a long time.

Just then, a servant's voice was heard announcing from outside the door, "General Wang of the Thousand Year Army arrives!"

The name of the Thousand Year Army, like a sudden cold wind, caused the lively and joyful atmosphere in the Zhang residence to freeze slightly. These three words made everyone recall the military disaster that had not long passed, as if the smell of blood still lingered in the air.

Chen Ji, while turning his head to look outside the door, pulled Xiao Man's arm and retreated towards the crowd.

Xiao Man looked at him in surprise, "Young master, what's wrong?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Nothing."

Amidst the announcement, General Wang stepped onto the red carpet. He was not wearing armor today, but a black robe with a large lapel. He had a gold beam crown on his head and thick-soled black boots on his feet. He was still as imposing as a tiger.

General Wang was also followed by several soldiers, fully armored and with long knives hanging at their waists. The guests in the Zhang residence almost thought that the Thousand Year Army was here to stir up another military disaster.

Zhang Zhuo parted the crowd and teased from afar, "General Wang, why have you come to my residence for a banquet, and even brought fully armored men? Are you afraid that someone in my Zhang family will plot against you?"

General Wang smiled and said in a hoarse voice, "Recently, there have been Jianghu ruffians violating prohibitions with force. It's better to be careful."

Chen Ji lowered his head in thought. A general who usually guards strictly has come to a banquet, bringing armored soldiers by his side, because of "Jianghu ruffians violating prohibitions with force." Could it be that Jianghu people have been trying to assassinate him these past few days?

Yes, Chen Ji had caused a big stir in the military camp that day. Although he was ultimately defeated and left, the words he shouted in the military camp had been heard by the Thousand Year Army soldiers and were remembered in their hearts.

As the saying goes, good news doesn't go out the door, but bad news spreads a thousand miles. Even if the discipline of the Thousand Year Army was very strict, General Wang's reputation for betraying Jing Wang had probably already quietly spread among the people.

In the Jianghu, there were certainly still righteous men who missed Jing Wang and wanted to avenge him.

While thinking, Chen Ji pulled Xiao Man and turned back, not wanting to face the other person.

But just as Zhang Zhuo was about to lead General Wang inside, he saw General Wang, who had walked past the walnut tree where Chen Ji was standing, take two steps forward and then retreat two steps.

He looked at Chen Ji's back and said in a deep voice, "Turn around."

Chen Ji was silent for two breaths, then turned back to face the other person's gaze directly, "General Wang, long time no see."

General Wang said in a deep voice, "You actually still dare to appear in front of me."

Chen Ji didn't expect the other person to take the initiative first.

He thought for a few breaths and smiled, "General Wang, what are you saying? Why wouldn't I dare to appear in front of you?"

General Wang said in a deep voice, "The Prince treated you well. The heir and the county princess even befriended you as close friends and regarded you as a confidant. But what did you do? If you hadn't given evidence to the eunuch party, how would the Prince have been framed by them and wrongly died in prison?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the Zhang residence suddenly became quiet, and the guests all turned their eyes over.

Chen Ji stood under the gaze of dozens of people, as if facing dozens of stabbing spears directly. It was as if he was still at Longwang Tun that night, where autumn leaves fell from the branches, and after the autumn leaves were all enemies.

In the crowd, Chen Liqin also looked towards Chen Ji. He hadn't expected that Chen Ji was actually involved in the rebellion matter of the Jing Wang mansion, and even suspected of betraying Jing Wang. Although Jing Wang was now accused of the great crime of rebellion, with Jing Wang's reputation, countless people from the court to the Jianghu stood on Jing Wang's side, all believing that Jing Wang's death was caused by the eunuch party persecuting loyal and good people.

If the Chen family carried the name of betraying Jing Wang, they would probably be spurned by the world. Chen Liqin thought again and again, and finally chose not to say a word.

Instead, Zhang Zhuo restrained his smile and asked without changing his expression, "General Wang, this is a guest invited by my Zhang residence. Why say such words? What does he have to do with the Jing Wang case?"

General Wang snorted coldly, "Let him say it himself!"

Chen Ji frowned slightly.

This General Wang was clearly worried about being sought revenge by the Jianghu righteous men, so he wanted to take the initiative in public and pour all the dirty water on himself.

But the strange thing was, General Wang had already surrendered to White Dragon. Didn't the other side know that he wanted to hide his spy identity and lurk in the Chen residence? How dare the other side reveal the secret in public?

Wait, the other side was not the core of White Dragon, and didn't know everything. In General Wang's perspective, he was just an apprentice of Taiping Medical Hall who had once tried to save Jing Wang. The other side didn't even know that he was also a spy from the Spy Department.

He didn't say where the blood letter came from that day, nor did he reveal his spy identity. And White Dragon had originally planned to let him lurk in the Chen family, so they would always recruit and would not tell General Wang more.

General Wang didn't know that he was already under White Dragon.

Chen Ji thought this through and said casually, "General Wang, why do you say I betrayed the Prince? What evidence did I give to the eunuch party?"

General Wang laughed coldly, "I don't know the specifics, but a well-informed person told me that the Prince once trusted you and entrusted you to deliver a handwritten blood letter to me. But you were ungrateful and delivered the blood letter to the eunuch party!"

Someone gasped, "The Prince's blood letter! Why have I never heard of it?"

"What was written on the blood letter? Was it evidence of the Prince's crime?"

"The Prince spent his entire life for the country and the people, yet was harmed by the eunuch party. I didn't expect that, ah, there would actually be a villain who betrayed him!"

"This kind of person who betrays faith and abandons righteousness should be punished by everyone!"

The crowd's emotions were agitated, and Chen Ji was being pointed at by a thousand people.

General Wang showed a cold smile, and Chen Liqin simply avoided the matter and went into the main hall of the Zhang residence.

Zhang Zhuo closed his eyes in thought, wanting to find a way to break the situation, but for a time, he couldn't think of how to clear Chen Ji's injustice. Zhang Xia pulled his sleeve, signaling him to quickly think of a way, but at this moment, there seemed to be no way to break free.

At this time, Xiao Man was so angry that her face was red. She pulled Chen Ji's sleeve, "Young master, say something, ah! You're not that kind of person."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Xiao Man turned to General Wang and said angrily, "Don't slander my young master! I've served him for many years. He is a kind person and is absolutely not the kind of person who betrays faith and abandons righteousness that you speak of!"

General Wang said calmly, "Knowing a person's face doesn't mean knowing their heart. Perhaps the Prince also thought he was kind, which is why he entrusted the blood letter to him. Little girl, you are still young and don't know people well."

Xiao Man was speechless for a long time, ".... You're farting!"

As she spoke, Chen Ji's thoughts turned. The urgent matter at this time was to clear his name, but how should he argue?

Could he tell the matter completely? No, once he told the matter completely, his spy identity would also be exposed, and he wouldn't be able to stay in the Chen family. White Dragon valued him because they valued his identity in the Chen family. If he was no longer useful, White Dragon would probably have a hard time saving him.

Then, could he pour the dirty water back on General Wang? Also no.

If he said that the blood letter was delivered to the Spy Department by General Wang, others would ask him, a small apprentice, how he knew about this matter.

Moreover, General Wang was a general of the Thousand Year Army who was always loyal to Jing Wang. Although he was just a small apprentice at a medical hall, whose words would everyone believe?

Furthermore, the other side had come prepared. Perhaps they had already prepared for this matter. If he counterattacked from here, he would probably fall into the other side's trap.

He could only find another way, find something that General Wang couldn't refute.

Chen Ji thought for a long time amidst the noisy voices and finally opened his mouth and said, "Where did General Wang know about the blood letter matter?"

General Wang crossed his arms over his chest, "You don't care how I know, just say whether this matter exists or not."

Chen Ji said, "Indeed, there was a blood letter from the Prince."

General Wang let out a breath.

In the main hall, Chen Liqin paced back and forth, thinking about how to prevent the Chen residence from being involved in this matter.

Outside the main hall, the officials and nobles became noisy, "What was written on the blood letter?"

"How could a villain betray Jing Wang and throw it to the eunuch party?"

Chen Ji slowly opened his mouth and said, "The blood letter does exist, but the matter is different from what General Wang said."

General Wang raised his eyebrows, "Where did the blood letter come from?"

Chen Ji carefully considered his words for any flaws, then slowly opened his mouth, "That day, my master, Jing Wang, the heir, and the county princess were all confined in the Liu family's large residence by the eunuch party. Later, because my master had once treated the inner minister's leg disease, the eunuch party released us two. Before leaving, the Prince stuffed a blood letter to me and asked me to deliver it to the capital to His Majesty."

General Wang was somewhat surprised. He was originally waiting for Chen Ji to tell the matter completely, and then he would add refutation and human evidence. However, he hadn't expected Chen Ji to not counterattack him, but to make up a new story.

And the people mentioned in Chen Ji's words could not be verified.

He frowned and asked, "Then how did this blood letter get into the hands of the eunuch party?"

Chen Ji explained, "It was when my master and I went out that we were searched by the eunuch party."

General Wang laughed coldly, "How do I know you didn't seek glory and wealth and actively delivered the blood letter?"

Chen Ji said calmly, "Because that blood letter originally couldn't become evidence of Jing Wang's rebellion, and delivering it wouldn't exchange for glory and wealth."

Zhang Zhuo came to his senses, "What exactly was written inside the blood letter?"

Just as Chen Ji was about to open his mouth, he heard General Wang interrupt, "Wait, how can we believe whatever he says now? We all don't know the content of the blood letter. Isn't it up to him to fabricate with empty words?"