Chapter 238: Hidden Agents of the Jing Dynasty

In front of the White Tiger Festival Hall steps, soldiers of the Yu Lin Army soaked strips of cloth with tung oil and carefully wrapped them around wooden sticks to make torches, which they then lit in the fire basin.

The group, holding brightly lit torches, set off. The Crown Prince led the way, but was stopped by Li Xuan. "Your Highness, if, as Chen Ji said, we might have to fight the Jing Dynasty thieves tonight, it would be better for you to stay in the Capital Commandery Office. You are of noble blood."

The Crown Prince laughed heartily. "General Li, why do you see me as a coward? You and I came to Gulin together; we should share weal and woe! How can you all shed blood and sweat at the front while I hide in the back? Since our Great Ning Dynasty was established, there has never been a timid emperor, nor has there ever been a timid Crown Prince."

Li Xuan was moved and said, "Your Highness, if anything happens to you, how can I explain to His Majesty?"

The Crown Prince raised his hand to stop him. "No need to say more... Third Young Master Chen, where are the Jing Dynasty thieves?"

Chen Ji cupped his hand and replied, "East of the city, Peach Locust Alley, Sha Che Street. It's the household with an elm tree in front."

The Crown Prince asked loudly, "Does anyone know where Sha Che Street is? Lead the way."

The Yu Lin Army soldiers exchanged glances. They had only been in Gulin for a little over ten days. Since arriving, they had been closely following the Crown Prince and hadn't had the opportunity to become familiar with Gulin.

Li Xuan, standing by, said, "Your Highness, I can select a border army soldier to lead the way later."

The Crown Prince nodded. "Good!"

The group, holding torches, mounted their horses. More than a hundred white horses galloped out from the Capital Commandery Office, startling the border army soldiers in front of the gate, who retreated one after another.

In front of the Capital Commandery Office's red lacquer gate, the torches illuminated Old Wu's face with surprise and uncertainty. "Your Highness, everyone, where are you going?"

"Military matters are not for you to inquire about. Do not ask." Li Xuan pointed to a border army soldier and said, "Mount up and lead the way for us."

Old Wu suddenly cupped his hand and said, "General Li, the infantryman you pointed to is not skilled in horsemanship. This humble general is more familiar with Gulin. How about this humble general leads the way for you?"

Li Xuan sneered, "No need. I can ride and take him!"

Old Wu said no more, turning his head to instruct that border army soldier, "Carefully lead the way for His Highness, don't make any mistakes!"

The border army soldier clasped his fists and received the order. "Yes!"

After the border army soldier mounted the horse, the Yu Lin Army, holding torches and escorting the Crown Prince, galloped away. The white pheasant tails and cloaks were majestic, the long military formation like a pure white ivory knife, stabbing into the belly of Gulin city.

At the end of the contingent, Chen Liqin also urged his horse to follow. He looked at Chen Ji's back, his heart heavy, as if covered with a layer of gloom that had not dissipated for more than ten years. After hesitating for a long time, Chen Liqin finally raised his whip, wanting to catch up with Chen Ji. Just as he reached Chen Ji's side, Da Te suddenly accelerated and shook him off.

Chen Liqin had no choice but to speak. "Chen Ji, I have something to say to you!"

Chen Ji gently patted Da Te's back. Da Te understood and slowed down. He turned his eyes. "What does Sir Chen want to say?"

Chen Liqin looked around front and back, left and right, confirming no one was nearby, then lowered his voice and asked mysteriously, "Have you seen anyone recently?"

Chen Ji frowned slightly. "Sir Chen, what do you mean by this?"

Chen Liqin pondered for a moment. "Have you already seen her?"

"Who?" Chen Ji was puzzled. "What exactly does Sir Chen want to ask?"

Chen Liqin said in a deep voice, "No need to pretend. I ask you, where did you learn these skills?"

Chen Ji replied without changing expression, "Reporting to Sir Chen, I learned them from my master at the medical hall."

Chen Liqin emphasized, "Don't fool me. Imperial Physician Yao has practiced medicine in the capital for decades. When has anyone heard that he is an official agent?"

Chen Ji did not speak.

But he heard Chen Liqin suddenly say, "Chen Ji, have you seen your mother? Do you already know... she is still alive?"

Chen Ji was startled in his heart but pretended to be surprised. "My aunt is still alive? Sir Chen, what exactly is going on? My aunt is not dead?"

"Don't pretend!" Chen Liqin then asked a series of questions, "Did she go to Luocheng to find you? When did she find you? What did she say? Where is she now?"

Chen Ji's mind raced. Chen Liqin's two sentences revealed a lot of information: his birth mother, Lu Shi, was indeed not dead! But since Lu Shi didn't die, why didn't she return to her hometown in the Jing Dynasty? What exactly happened back then that led to Lu Shi having to fake her death, leave, and hide her identity? But why does Xiao Man seem not to know about this?

Chen Liqin saw Chen Ji remain silent, and with furrowed brows, he chattered on, "I told her long ago, since you wanted to leave, then leave cleanly. Why come back to see you? She taught you these skills; do you then think she is good to you? She did this only to drag you into trouble!"

Chen Ji pondered for a long time and calmly said, "Sir Chen, are you confused? My aunt passed away long ago. How could she come to find me? I said, these skills were taught by my master, Yao Qimen, Imperial Physician Yao. If there is a single lie, may I be struck by lightning."

Chen Liqin lowered his voice. "How long do you want to lie? Remember, don't see her again in the future, and don't casually show your skills to others, especially those she taught you. Moreover, don't get close to the Crown Prince and the princes anymore. Be careful; she might use you to cause a huge disaster!"

At this time, Chen Liqin was certain that Chen Ji's birth mother had returned. Otherwise, he couldn't explain where Chen Ji's skills came from. He didn't believe an old imperial physician could teach Chen Ji the ways of an official agent.

Chen Ji turned his head and stared at Chen Liqin, asking directly, "Sir Chen, what exactly happened back then?"

Chen Liqin's expression changed, and he said angrily, "This is not for you to inquire. You only need to remember not to see her again. I will not harm you!"

Chen Ji fell silent. Originally, Chen Liqin still had this layer of concern... So it seemed, Chen Liqin must know many inside stories, perhaps even Lu Shi's identity in the Jing Dynasty! The other party had perhaps long noticed his strangeness but dared not speak out. Now he really couldn't hold back, so he came to question him.

Chen Liqin saw him silent for a long time, and his voice softened a bit. "You don't understand your mother's character. She is full of lies. Sometimes she even deceives the closest people, even herself. Listen to my advice, don't have any more entanglements with her. Steadily take the imperial examination; that is the right path."

Just at this moment, the border army soldier pointed to a narrow street. "Various generals, Sha Che Street has arrived."

Chen Ji looked but saw that inside Sha Che Street there were three elm trees. He didn't know which one the informant said was which household. He vaguely felt something was wrong. "Your Highness, I previously received a message saying it was the household with an elm tree in front. But here there are actually three elm trees. Perhaps..."

Li Xuan said in a deep voice, "No matter. Search all three households together!" He looked at Sha Che Street and immediately made a hand signal to the Yu Lin Army soldiers on his left and right.

The Yu Lin Army dismounted and flipped onto the roofs, moving towards those three households. Chen Ji did not dismount, quietly stationed his horse at the entrance of Sha Che Street, with furrowed brows.

Just at this time, the Crown Prince adjusted his shoulder fox fur, turned his horse back, and came to Chen Ji's side. "Third Young Master Chen, didn't you leave last night? Why did you suddenly send a message again today?"

Chen Ji explained, "Reporting to Your Highness, this commoner left yesterday to inquire about news. This Gulin is a mix of fish and dragons; some are in the open, of course, some should be hidden in the dark."

The Crown Prince praised, "Third Young Master Chen is indeed worthy of being a student of Mr. Wang Daosheng. You have both literary strategy and military strategy. I just don't know where this message was obtained from?"

Chen Ji said without changing expression, "From the pleasure quarters and theaters, not worth mentioning."

The Crown Prince smiled, changed the topic, and asked, "Your two elder brothers both passed the classics chief this year. Why didn't you participate in the imperial examination?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and replied, "Your Highness, what I learned from my teacher is not classics but military strategy. I have no intention of participating in the imperial examination."

"Oh?" The Crown Prince became interested. "So, you intend to join the military?"

Chen Ji hummed, "Originally, after my teacher's mourning period, he was to resume his position in the Ministry of War, but I don't know why it was delayed. I had to first follow my family back to the capital and then find something to do."

The Crown Prince sighed. "I understand this matter a little. Elder Hu Ge submitted a recommendation memorial for Mr. Wang, but it was rejected by the Directorate of Ceremonial. The inner minister said that Mr. Wang was greedy for merit and rash when leading the border army in earlier years and still needs more tempering."

Chen Ji regretted, "It's a pity that Mr. has such talent."

The Crown Prince looked at Chen Ji with interest. "Chen Ji, my wise brother, after returning to the capital, do you have any plans?"

Chen Ji cupped his hand. "Reporting to Your Highness, I still have no plans."

The Crown Prince smiled ambiguously. "Very good."

Suddenly, from afar came Li Xuan's voice. "Your Highness, there are no Jing Dynasty thieves here as Chen Ji said, nor is there any so-called more than ten jars of gold juice!"

The Crown Prince was startled, turning his horse towards Sha Che Street. "None in the three households? Is it possible the Jing Dynasty thieves heard the news in advance and moved those more than ten large jars away?"

Li Xuan escorted the people from the three households out. "Your Highness, absolutely impossible. Even if those more than ten jars of gold juice were moved, the courtyard would at least leave some smell. But these three households are clean, with no trace at all. We were deceived!"

At this time, the seventeen people from the three households knelt on the ground, their faces pale. "Various army lords, spare our lives. We don't know what crime we committed?"

The Crown Prince hurriedly said, "Quickly get up, it is we who made a mistake."

Qi Jian glared fiercely at Chen Ji. "Boy, you heard some vague news from the marketplace and then dared to play a trick on His Highness. What crime should you be guilty of?"

Chen Ji lowered his head and remained silent.

Chen Liqin hurriedly urged his horse forward and cupped his hand to the Crown Prince. "Your Highness, my son only has the heart for Gulin's safety. There is no major mistake. Fortunately, he only made His Highness make a futile trip and did not really cause any loss..."

Qi Jian pressed his hand on the long sword at his waist and said coldly, "That's not how you talk. What if His Highness encountered an assassination tonight on the way out? Can he bear it?"

The Crown Prince suddenly spoke. "Qi Jian, say no more." He turned and smiled at Chen Ji. "I know Chen Ji, my wise brother, is well-intentioned. He just missed; what wrong can this be considered? We have been investigating the false merit cases these days; haven't we also missed every time? Chen Ji, my wise brother, is just young and acts a bit impulsively. He just needs more experience; there's no problem."

However, just at this time, Chen Ji, sitting on Da Te's saddle, suddenly raised his head. "Not right. Catch that border army soldier... Wait, the border army soldier who led the way, where is he? He just entered the courtyard with all of you. Where did he go now?"

The Yu Lin Army soldiers holding torches looked at each other. They searched in the crowd for a long time, but could no longer see that border army soldier's trace! A Yu Lin Army soldier recalled, "He said he wanted to go to the toilet..."

Chen Ji said solemnly, "If Sha Che Street has many elm trees, the one who gave me the message absolutely wouldn't use 'the household with a tree in front' as a clue. This is not Sha Che Street!" After speaking, he looked at the disturbed people in Sha Che Street. "What street is this? Is it Sha Che Street?"

The people looked blank. "Army lords, this is Ku Le Street. It's still one li away from Sha Che Street."

Chen Ji said no more, urged his horse past a young man, bent down, and grabbed the other's waistband and left. Without looking back, he instructed the Yu Lin Army, "Everyone follow. The border army soldier who led the way is a Jing Dynasty spy. He must be running to report to the Jing Dynasty thieves in Sha Che Street at this time. We must find them immediately! If we let them pollute half of Gulin city's wells, when the Jing Dynasty Tian Ce Army arrives, it will all be over!"