Chapter 552: Driving in Circles |
The horse carriage shaking and swaying drove exiting the Eight Great Hutongs.
Two named Canal Transport Guild men took Chen Ji clamping him in the middle. Chen Ji could smell upon their bodies the stinking odor of aquatic grasses, ship wood's tung oil smell, fish stinking aura.
The two people individually hand-gripped a single grip of a bone-scraping blade pressing between his rib bones. Securing and guaranteeing at any time capable of piercing entering his lung lobes.
Chen Ji calmly said: "This simply is the Canal Transport Guild's path of treating guests?"
The two named men didn't speak words. The carriage driver lifted open the carriage curtains responding saying: "Baron of Wuxiang County don't blame (take offense). Before coming the Guild Master handed over passing (instructed). That many ruthless people universally snapped falling into your hands already. We and our peers a tiny bit careful also is what ought to be."
Chen Ji wrinkled his brows: "I am coming to with Han Tong consult and discuss proper matters. If he cannot Trust me passing (trust me enough). He vastly can not meet me. No need to this similarly expend grand circles and chapters (go to such great lengths)."
The carriage driver no longer heeded Chen Ji. Merely toward the two named men exhorted telling them saying: "Take the cargo pressing stable. Don't teach (let) him step arriving at the kiln mouth (escape/cause trouble)."
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Chen Ji calmly shut upon both his eyes. Silently sensing and knowing (perceiving).
Chen Ji smelled arriving at Incense smell. Ought to be just recently crossed passing the Kitchen God Temple...
But the horse carriage driving circles, driving circles, rotating and turning walked for too long. He gradually also lost his direction feeling (sense of direction). Within impressions he had already several times crossed passing Chongnan Ward, North Chong Ward. The horse carriage yet initiating to ending (all along) hadn't stopped.
The Canal Transport Guild's people are intentionally driving in circles.
He originally desired to borrow the road side's crying out and selling sounds to judge his position. But precisely coinciding with National Mourning. Small hawkers shoulder-carrying Carrying Poles and the road side's shop families universally shut their mouths. He only could faintly between (faintly) smell arriving at somewhat distinct smells. Yet unable to hear arriving at sounds.
At this time. He suddenly smelled seeing fresh cow dung smell unable to stop to forcefully drill heading inside the carriage.
This is where?
The two named men suddenly strongly and rigidly tearing dragging him descended the carriage. Chen Ji's eyes toward below skimmed. Trying and diagramming (attempting) to pierce passing the head bag's crevices to discern recognizing the ground surface bricks and stones' lines and textures.
But still not waiting for him to carefully distinguish and discern. The men simply tearing dragging him walked entering a single household's shop front. When entering the doors. Chen Ji suffered the door sill tripping him for a single moment. His foot back took the door sill kicking it to make echoing sounds.
The men seeing the situation. Matching immediately a single left a single right framing supporting his both arms heading inside walking. From this household's shop front piercing the hall and passing through. The small shop's empty air (air) within floated drifting mellowly thick fragrant oil (sesame oil) smell. Chen Ji still could hear arriving at the oil pressing machine exerting strength squeezing and pressing oil dregs' heavy muffled echoing sounds.
The two named men suddenly stopped dropping footsteps. The leading heading carriage driver instructed saying: "Wait and wait."
Chen Ji suddenly asked saying: "Arrived at the place already?"
The carriage driver smilingly responding saying: "Baron of Wuxiang County slightly peacefully un-restless. Must anew wait and wait... This small person is somewhat curious. You last night were how killing that person?"
Chen Ji's spirit expression a single move (flickered): "You know whom I killed? Han Tong even this kind of matter universally dared telling you. Capable of seeing your status inside the Canal Transport Guild is not low."
The carriage driver humbly saying: "This subordinate Canal Transport Guild Four Beams and Eight Pillars Zhu Xiao. Counted as the Guild Master's banner beneath most attaining strength (capable) heart and belly (trusted aide) already. Asking the Baron of Wuxiang County to candidly and honestly distribute the public (be frank). Tell this subordinate the genuine appearance (truth)."
Chen Ji with sudden realization: "Originally you simply are Zhu Xiao. But the question you just a moment prior asked... I dare answering. You dare listening? Brother Zhu. This is not matters you are capable of listening to. Desiring to live a life simply swap Han Tong coming to ask."
Zhu Xiao faintly smiled, no longer speaking words.
Precisely at when Chen Ji considered and thought this simply was the place of with Han Tong seeing faces' time. The small shop's rear door again drove coming a single carriage of horse carts. Two named men framing supporting him ascending the carriage. Continuing driving entering the Alleys driving rising circles.
Gradually. Chen Ji noticed the empty air (air) within's temperatures slowly descending lower. The head bag crevices piercing entering light and brightness more and more coming dark.
The sun dropped (set) already.
Chen Ji sat in the middle interval of the two named men asking saying: "You all still wish to drive circles arriving at what time? Lord Qi also hadn't driven circles this long."
Zhu Xiao slowly and leisurely answered saying: "Lord Qi is Lord Qi. You are you. Naturally possessing un-identicalness (are different)."
Chen Ji in a submerged voice asking saying: "Han Tong huh?"
Zhu Xiao faintly smiled: "You immediately simply will see arriving at him."
Between speaking words. The horse carriage finally once again stopped dropping. Two named men framing supporting Chen Ji descending the carriage. Bringing him entering inside a single room of a residence.
Light threads (lighting) thoroughly duskily darkened coming down. The Canal Transport Guild men took him pressing him upon a single sheet of chair. Using two fingers thick hemp rope taking him layer upon layer bundling and binding. Causing him to move and bounce un-obtainingly (unable to move).
Waiting until the other party took Chen Ji bundling tightly, tightly, solidly, solidly. Zhu Xiao only then with a single handful tearing down his head bag.
Chen Ji congealed his gaze (stared) directly frontwards. Precisely seeing the other party lifting holding a single cup of oil lamp standing before his face: "Han Tong huh?"
Zhu Xiao bent going down his waist straightly looking at both his eyes: "The Baron of Wuxiang County must first explain for a single moment. Why this single path upon uniformly and directly possessed the Eunuch Faction's people and horses following you?"
The before eyes' Zhu Xiao wore a single body of grey cloth short coat. Waist interval pinning a single grip of a Short Blade. The other party's face upon was wind-blown and sun-scorched purplish-red. Sleeves rolled up. Exposing and exiting upon the small arms a single path over a single path of scar marks.
Chen Ji didn't know whether the other party was swindling himself (bluffing). Or if Jin Zhu genuinely couldn't patiently view himself using his body braving dangers. Stealthily following behind the horse carriage's rear faces suffering the Canal Transport Guild noticing.
His spirit expression was calm: "If you peers Canal Transport Guild successfully provoked the Secret Spy Division however don't drag and weary (implicate) me. I however don't want to suffer the Eunuch Faction secretly staring upon."
Zhu Xiao again lifted holding the oil lamp piecing approaching somewhat: "The Baron of Wuxiang County bullies my Canal Transport Guild for dropping souls (falling into straits). Genuinely treating we and our peers unable to investigate exiting you and the Secret Spy Division's between's cat (hidden underhandedness)? Fragrant Hills Spring Hunt. The Twelve Zodiacs' Bai Long for the sake of guaranteeing (protecting) you. Issued Liao Zhong's sea catching documents (warrants). You two times entered the Inner Prison. A single time was Jiao Tu taking you scooping coming out. The additionally single time was Jin Zhu taking you scooping coming out. Still saying you and the Eunuch Faction uniformly lack hooking connections?"
Chen Ji inside his heart sighed. Himself and the Secret Spy Division between occurring too many matters. Already concealing not passing possessing hearts people's (attentive people's) eyes. This I'm afraid also is the origins and causes for Elder Chen reminding him to distance far from the Eunuch Faction.
But... this kind (in this way) once coming. Anew desiring to find arriving at Han Tong simply is difficult already.
His gaze jumped crossing Zhu Xiao's shoulders. Looking toward the residence's mutually shutting wooden doors. Trying and testingly toward outside the doors in a high voice said: "I possess methods for rescuing exiting Commandery Princess Baili. Asking Guild Master Han to manifest his body for a single meeting."
Zhu Xiao smilingly drew exiting his waist interval Short Blade. Upon his sleeves wiped and wiped the blade upon's blood filth: "Don't expend firm stiffness (effort) anymore. The Guild Master at the very roots point-blankly isn't present here. He handed over passing. Wishing this subordinate to give you leaving a completely whole corpse. Merely you must pray begging the Buddha Ancestor guaranteeing (blessing) the Chen Family earlier by a tiny bit finding arriving here. Otherwise at present this Heavenly energy (weather). Demanding not passing three days you simply will stink already."
Chen Ji suddenly asked saying: "Commandery Princess Baili what is to be done?"
Zhu Xiao used his thumb strumming the blade edge: "My Canal Transport Guild already has tried and tested passing managing rescues of the Commandery Princess already. Merely Four Beams and Eight Pillars inside exited an inner ghost (traitor). Calling the Trouble-Resolving Guards to lifting to the front know of our and our peers' plans. Set down your heart. The Guild Master hasn't forgotten the Commandery Princess. We and our peers still possess separately bystander's (other) plans."
Chen Ji straightly looked at Zhu Xiao's eyes: "You all identically plan at the harmoniously marrying road upon rescuing her?"
Zhu Xiao shook his head: "Harmoniously marrying road upon won't work. This single path upon the Eunuch Faction definitely will add and dispatch people hands. Using the Commandery Princess acting as bait. Waiting for my Canal Transport Guild to ascend the hooks (take the bait). Un-passing (However) the Baron of Wuxiang County also no need to grieve and worry. Waiting until the Commandery Princess arrives at Annan. We and our peers naturally still possess identically other hand segments (methods) rescuing the Commandery Princess coming out."
Chen Ji sighed saying: "Late already."
Zhu Xiao splitting his mouth smilingly said: "These simply lacking the necessity for you coming to grasp your heart (worry about) already."
In the next moment. He waved his blade wiping toward Chen Ji's neck.
Chen Ji's foot tips a single dot. Carrying the chair toward the rear looking up (leaning back) to go. The blade tip pasting gripping his lower jaw cutting passing. Yet initiating to ending (all along) hadn't injured arriving at him for dividing hair (a fraction). Oil lamp brightly extinguishing (flickering) in between. A single piece of Sword Seed from his sleeve interval roamed and drifted exiting coming out. From the behind back cut severing the rope cords bundling and binding him.
Thickly heavy hemp rope fibers within duskily dark light threads inside a single root over a single root fracturing severingly. Chen Ji's body still was with the chair identically together toward the rear heavily pouring (falling backwards). His gaze initiating to ending hadn't left moving passing Zhu Xiao. He in the other party's eyes inside saw arriving at sudden astonishment. Still possessing frightened terror.
Zhu Xiao's hands center Short Blade flipped and turned. Reversing hands toward Chen Ji piercing coming.
But this single time. Chen Ji gripped holding Zhu Xiao's hand wrists toward the rear flipping and tumbling. Zhu Xiao suffered him fiercely twisting his arm toward the front carried to go.
Chen Ji toward the rear empty flipped (backflipped) and arose. Zhu Xiao's arm within a momentary blink of time suffered fiercely twisting turning into fried dough twists. He heard his own arm bone skeleton issuing out exploding bamboo (firecracker) resembling crispy echoes. The hand gripping holding the Short Blade un-self-knowingly (involuntarily) loosened opening. The Short Blade toward the ground surface dropping to go.
When Chen Ji landed on the ground. Received holding the still hadn't landed on the ground's Short Blade pressing it upon Zhu Xiao's neck: "Carry me heading to find Han Tong."
Zhu Xiao enduring hurting (pain) hei-hei smilingly said: "The Baron of Wuxiang County as expected the fruits is a ruthless crop. A thousand preventions, ten thousand preventions still as before snapped falling upon your hands already. But if you consider and think my Canal Transport Guild universally are bad weak seeds, you simply are incorrect already. Desiring to find the Guild Master. Descend to the next lifetime right."
Between speaking words. Zhu Xiao's face upon a single smear of black color following the blood tubes creeping vines spreading. Identical to spider webs resembling diffusing arriving at the eye bottoms.
Chen Ji pinched opening the other party's mouth. Only seeing Zhu Xiao's rear trough teeth location the white wax sealing rising's poison sac had already been bitten broken. With the previous Chen Family's second branch's dead soldiers identical, general, lacking two (identical).
He threw dropping Zhu Xiao's corpse. Pushing the doors heading outside walking to go.
Small little first entry courtyard center empty, empty identically as (completely empty). Seeming as if after taking Chen Ji sent arriving at this place. The Canal Transport Guild helping masses simply withdrew withdrawing already. Chen Ji lifted his head. Precisely catching sight of Wu Yun squatting upon the courtyard walls meowing out a single sound: "You definitely lack matters right?"
Chen Ji in a hasty voice asked saying: "This is where?"
Wu Yun meowed out a single sound: "Liulichang northern side's small Alley."
Chen Ji wrinkled his brows. How circling arriving at here coming already?
He again requested asking saying: "You from what time finding arriving at me?"
Wu Yun meowed out a single sound: "Fast dropping sun's time. I at Zhengyang Gate Avenue smelled arriving at your smells and flavors. Just merely only chasing arriving at here."
Chen Ji lowered his head pondering and conjecturing. Now Zhu Xiao once dying. Han Tong I'm afraid again also will not leak his face (show up) anymore.
The other party ought to be identically planning waiting for the Commandery Princess frontally heading to Annan after. With that positioned titled sworn tied eldest brother Lin Daoqian jointly linking hands rescuing exiting the Commandery Princess. But he could not uniformly wait that long.
Chen Ji shut his eyes silently thinking and searching. Where will Han Tong hide?
Han Tong by no means was completely un-Trusting himself. Merely toward himself approaching Trust approaching doubting. If the other party completely un-Trusted. Today also no need to expend grandly turning cycles letting Zhu Xiao carry himself doing circles for a single day. Straightly directly against himself seeing yet not noticing (ignoring) simply is good already.
But Han Tong since approaching Trust approaching doubting. Again why suddenly put aside discarding with himself seeing faces? The middle interval occurred what matters guiding causing the other party to alter replacing decisions?
Wait and wait.
Chen Ji suddenly opened both his eyes. He from his clothing hems tore descending a single piece of cloth coming. Using the courtyard's charcoal sticks wrote descending two sentences of words. Still possessing turn handing to Jin Zhu four words. And afterwards taking the cloth separated by space tossing it giving it to Wu Yun: "Carry it giving to Brother Pao. Absolutely and definitely must be fast!"
Lacking anew redundantly speaking a single sentence of words. Wu Yun carried lifting the grey cloth in its mouth turning its body jumping upon the rooftops. Chen Ji crazily sprinting exiting the doors.
A single person a single cat. A single one heading east. A single one heading south. Identically together vanishing within the night colors.
(End of this chapter)