Chapter 590: He Is Bing Hu |
The sound of drums on the city walls of the nine gates finally ceased. The lingering sound dragged on for a long time in the night wind before unwillingly dissipating completely.
The Double Ninth Festival was over, leaving only a mess on the ground. During the Curfew, the massive capital city was like a coiled wild beast, swallowing up all the accumulated heat of the day in a single gulp.
Chen Ji walked alone right in the middle of the empty Anding Gate Avenue. The crushed Cornelian Cherry Fruits were ground into the crevices of the bluestone slabs by footsteps, turning a dark, almost black shade of red. A thin layer of Chrysanthemum Petals covered the ground, yellow and white mixed together. When the wind blew, they rolled gently close to the ground, rustling as if someone was whispering in the dark.
The flickering firelight on the Anding Gate tower behind him stretched his shadow long, making him appear somewhat thin, emaciated, and desolate.
Chen Ji didn't return home, because tonight's matters weren't over yet.
Having let Han Tong go, someone had to give the Trouble-Resolving Tower an explanation.
The sound of horse hooves rang out from afar.
Very hurried, very dense, at least twenty or thirty riders.
Chen Ji's footsteps didn't stop, walking toward the sounds of the horse hooves.
Trouble-Resolving Guard Battalion Commander Wang Zhao led a group of men and horses galloping over. They seemingly also didn't expect to encounter Chen Ji, immediately surrounding Chen Ji tightly: "Audacious scoundrel, impersonating the Twelve Zodiacs to abduct an important criminal of the imperial court!"
Chen Ji raised his head, his gaze under the Bamboo Hat calm: "Listening to Xuan She's one-sided testimony... go receive twenty Court Floggings yourselves afterward, twenty for each person."
His voice wasn't loud, but every word fell clearly into everyone's ears.
The Trouble-Resolving Guards surrounding him were stunned.
First, they didn't expect Chen Ji wouldn't flee and that they would encounter each other on Anding Gate Avenue. Second, they didn't expect this wanted criminal to be so arrogantly aggressive, not only not surrendering without a fight, but even demanding they go receive Court Floggings themselves.
A Trouble-Resolving Guard urged his horse close to Wang Zhao, lowering his voice and asking: "Lord, could there be a mistake?"
Wang Zhao's expression was uncertain. Their information all came from Xuan She's subordinate, Gyrfalcon Gao Yi, but looking at it now, the information might be wrong.
Chen Ji passed right through the encirclement as if there was nobody around: "If you want to follow, then follow and see, see where this seat goes."
The Trouble-Resolving Guards looked at Wang Zhao. Wang Zhao pondered for a moment and could only silently follow behind Chen Ji.
Wang Zhao watched Chen Ji cross Anding Gate Avenue, take a slow stroll past Chang'an Avenue, until reaching Taiye Pool, when Chen Ji then walked straight toward the depths.
Upon entering Taiye Pool, they coincidentally met Gao Yi coming head-on, followed by dozens of secret spies, about to search the whole city to capture Han Tong.
But seeing Chen Ji Have Backing and Nothing to Fear, with dozens of Trouble-Resolving Guards trailing behind him, the secret spies didn't dare to make a move for a moment.
Chen Ji continued walking forward nonchalantly; the secret spies retreated backward.
With secret spies in front and Trouble-Resolving Guards behind, surrounding him like the tide, they walked toward the Xihua Gate.
Upon arriving in front of the Xihua Gate, a figure walked out from the gate tunnel.
Chang Xiu.
He stood in the shadow untouched by the torchlight, looking at this massive, dark crowd with a smiling expression, saying lazily: "So many people, the Xihua Gate is quite lively tonight."
The secret spies and Trouble-Resolving Guards stood outside the gate, nobody speaking.
Chang Xiu's gaze fell on Chen Ji at the very front, asking courteously with cupped hands: "This Lord's face is unfamiliar. May I make bold to ask your honored name?"
Chen Ji took out the Ivory Plaque: "Bing Hu, I have important matters to see the Inner Chancellor face-to-face."
Chang Xiu asked courteously again: "May I verify it in my hands?"
Chen Ji tossed the Ivory Plaque through the air to Chang Xiu.
Chang Xiu caught it, scrutinizing it carefully by the moonlight. The Yin-Yang Fish, the Three Auspicious Gates.
The pad of his finger slowly stroked over the Ivory Plaque, from the Open Gate to the Rest Gate, and finally stopping at the Life Gate. There was an extremely small secret mark there, so small it couldn't be seen at all without looking carefully, not even drawn on the Verification Blueprint.
Chang Xiu beamed a smile: "That's correct, it is carved personally by Master Xu back in the day."
Saying this, he took a step forward, respectfully returning the Ivory Plaque with both hands, and then made way: "Lord Bing Hu, please."
Chen Ji brushed past him, walking alone toward the depths of the Forbidden City.
After Chen Ji left, Chang Xiu looked at the Trouble-Resolving Guard Battalion Commander Wang Zhao with a smiling expression: "Did Lord Wang have dinner tonight?"
Wang Zhao furrowed his brows: "Why ask this?"
Chang Xiu said meaningfully: "Originally, I felt that competing with Lord Wang for the position of Trouble-Resolving Guard Commander would harm our harmonious relationship and block Lord Wang's future prospects. But looking at it now, with Lord Wang's intellect, losing the errand of Trouble-Resolving Guard Commander might not necessarily be a bad thing. This subordinate can also be considered to have helped Lord Wang preserve your head and your family... Thinking about it this way, this subordinate doesn't feel so guilty anymore."
Wang Zhao's expression drastically changed: "What the hell do you mean?"
Chang Xiu wordlessly shook his head and walked into the inside of Xihua Gate with his hands behind his back.
...
...
At this very moment, Xuan She stood bowed outside the Trouble-Resolving Tower.
Inside the pitch-black main doors of the Trouble-Resolving Tower, Shan Niu sat properly on an incomparably massive armchair, resting with his eyes closed.
Not knowing how long Xuan She had waited, he finally couldn't hold back and said: "I want to see Lord Inner Chancellor."
Shan Niu didn't even twitch an eyelid: "Lord Inner Chancellor finally managed to fall asleep. Let him rest for a moment; when he wakes up he will naturally call you up."
Standing outside the door, Xuan She's voice sank: "Someone impersonated the Top Three Bing Hu and abducted Han Tong. This matter is of great significance, how can it be delayed?"
Shan Niu still kept his eyes closed: "Meals must be eaten bite by bite, and matters must be handled one by one. Even if the sky is falling, you have to wait until Lord Inner Chancellor wakes up before speaking."
Just as he finished speaking, Bai Long led Bao Hou to the outside of the Trouble-Resolving Tower. The chattering voice under Bao Hou's wooden monkey mask was saying: "I see that tiny Annan has great ambitions. Tonight, that posture of King Annan looking up to our dynasty was all faked."
Under the mask, a hoarse voice said: "Who cares if he's faking or if it's real. One Force Defeats Ten Skills, does he still dare to rebel?"
A woman's voice said: "You can't say it like that. We definitely must not give the Jing Dynasty and Annan an opportunity to collude. If the Jing Dynasty marches its army south next time, and Annan takes the opportunity to cause chaos and establish independence, we will also have a headache."
Amidst the clamor, Bai Long led Bao Hou straight into the Trouble-Resolving Tower without giving Xuan She an extra glance.
After crossing the threshold, Bai Long suddenly stopped his footsteps, turning his head and instructing Bao Hou: "You are too noisy. Stay downstairs."
Under Bao Hou's mask, a shrill voice said Flustered and Exasperated: "And you call yourself a good friend. How could a good friend find us noisy?"
Bao Hou's original voice hurriedly said: "Shut your mouth."
Bai Long went upstairs into the tower. A moment later, lights were lit upstairs in the Trouble-Resolving Tower, faint light filtering through the windows.
Xuan She's expression flickered. He looked at Shan Niu, his voice cracking out from between his teeth: "Why aren't you afraid of someone disturbing Lord Inner Chancellor's nap now?"
Shan Niu said lazily: "He is one of the Top Three, I can't control him."
That shrill voice under Bao Hou's mask mockingly laughed crazily: "A mere Xuan She also dares to compare Official Positions and status with Lord Bai Long?"
Xuan She's expression was gloomy, no longer saying more.
With Bao Hou beside him, the voices under the mask talked about Annan for a while, talked about the Jing Dynasty for a while, and talked about the matters between Chen Ji and Bai Li from a few days ago for a while.
The shrill voice couldn't stand the sight of anything, the woman's voice was gentle and rational, the hoarse voice had extremely heavy killing intent. Chatting with himself, it surprisingly wasn't boring.
With all the buzzing in his ears, Xuan She felt incomparably irritated: "Enough!"
The shrill voice chuckled: "He's getting anxious!"
At this time, the sound of a Copper Bell rang out from inside the tower.
Shan Niu finally opened his eyes and looked at Xuan She: "Go up."
Xuan She hurried upstairs, arriving in front of the Inner Chancellor's door and saying respectfully: "Lord Inner Chancellor."
Out of the corner of his eye he peeked inside, only seeing Bai Long standing behind the folding screen, hands tucked in his sleeves, seemingly already having reported the matters at tonight's farewell banquet for the Annan envoy to the Inner Chancellor.
The Inner Chancellor leaned over the desk writing documents, not even raising his head: "Coming to the Trouble-Resolving Tower deep in the night, for what matter?"
Xuan She considered for a moment: "This humble official interrogated Li Muzhe in the Inner Prison today. This person has already confessed. The fifty thousand taels of silver in Third Miss Qi's hands a few days ago was indeed handed over personally by him. This was the silver and money tributed to the Crown Prince by the Jiangnan gentry when His Highness earlier supervised the private casting of Copper Coins case. However, he does not know who the owner of these silver and money is."
The Inner Chancellor gave an 'mm', continuing to brush his pen and urgently write.
A moment later, the Inner Chancellor suddenly asked: "What, there are still matters?"
Xuan She considered again for a moment: "This humble official was interrogating Li Muzhe, but a subordinate came to report, saying someone forged Bing Hu's court-attending Ivory Plaque, went to the Inner Prison, took Han Tong away, and claimed to use Han Tong to control the Canal Transport Guild."
The Inner Chancellor did not respond, only pausing his brush tip.
A moment later, Xuan She gritted his teeth and said: "Lord, from what this humble official observed of his bone structure, that Bing Hu... was clearly an eighteen or nineteen-year-old youth impersonating."
The Trouble-Resolving Tower fell into silence.
The Inner Chancellor behind the folding screen raised his head, and Bai Long also cast a sidelong glance toward Xuan She.
Xuan She's heart started pounding like a drum, uneasy and apprehensive: "Lord Inner Chancellor, if this person is not Bing Hu, this humble official is willing to request an arrest warrant to apprehend this person and Han Tong, and definitely bring the two back to the Inner Prison..."
At this time, the Inner Chancellor interrupted nonchalantly: "He is Bing Hu."
Xuan She's body froze in place... He is Bing Hu?
How could that youth be Bing Hu? He, Xuan She, killed his way out of Wunian Mountain at sixteen, and served in the Secret Spy Division for eighteen years. He finally managed to scrape his way to a Zodiac position, every step filled with skeletons.
How could an eighteen or nineteen-year-old youth be Bing Hu?
While pondering, the sound of footsteps came from inside the Trouble-Resolving Tower. Steady footsteps trod on the wooden stairs, walking up step by step from the dark staircase.
Xuan She suddenly looked over. The opposing party wore a Bamboo Hat on his head and a black cloth covering his face; it was precisely that Bing Hu.
When Chen Ji passed by him, he paused and quietly looked at Xuan She, until Xuan She bowed his body, cupped his fists and saluted, saying: "Lord Bing Hu."
Chen Ji asked calmly: "This seat told you to go receive fifty Court Floggings yourself. You didn't go receive the Court Floggings, what are you doing here at the Inner Chancellor's place?"
Xuan She's head drooped even lower: "This humble official will go right now."
Saying this, he left in a hurry.
The Inner Chancellor spoke slowly: "Bai Long also go and rest. I have matters to instruct Bing Hu."
Bai Long was silent for a moment, cupped his fists and said: "Yes."
The Trouble-Resolving Tower regained its tranquility, leaving only Chen Ji and the Inner Chancellor.
Chen Ji walked into the room, standing completely still behind the folding screen: "Lord Inner Chancellor, this humble official privately let Han Tong go, requesting the Lord mete out punishment for the crime."
The Inner Chancellor placed the writing brush beside the inkstone, carefully examining Chen Ji, as if he could see through him even across the folding screen.
Not knowing how much time had passed, the Inner Chancellor laughed lightly. It seemed like ridicule, but also like emotion over the vicissitudes of life: "The foolish conform vainly, while the wise seek flaws. People spend most of their lives seeking stability and smoothness, but until death they don't understand that these are all just vain delusions. Only those who use changes to seek changes can survive to the very end. This lesson, your Master couldn't teach you because he also didn't see it clearly. You have to walk it through yourself once for it to stick."
Chen Ji remained silent. This was the first time the Inner Chancellor mentioned Old Yao to him.
The Inner Chancellor suddenly changed the subject: "Do you still remember the agreement between you and me?"
Chen Ji said softly: "Two lives in exchange for one life."
The Inner Chancellor said indifferently: "You used the lives of Lin Chaoqing and Han Tong to exchange for Bai Li's life. Now I have given Bai Li's life to you, but you let Han Tong go... Then you still owe this Chancellor a life, is that right or wrong?"
Chen Ji said calmly: "Right."
The Inner Chancellor笑了笑 (smiled): "Your life, now belongs to the Trouble-Resolving Tower. When the day comes that this Chancellor needs to use this life of yours, no matter what mountains of daggers and seas of flames are ahead, no matter how circumstances change through the times, you have to hand it over."
Chen Ji cupped his fists and said: "Alright."
He knew that the reason this Inner Chancellor previously didn't want the methods to improve Firearms, didn't want the plans to manage and dredge fertile fields, didn't want the strategies to enrich the state treasury, was only because the opposing party only wanted his life from beginning to end.
Sitting withered in this Trouble-Resolving Tower, quietly watching clouds rise and vanish, wind start and fall, the opposing party was just waiting for today.
Chen Ji suddenly asked: "Is the Inner Chancellor not afraid that I will break my promise?"
The Inner Chancellor methodically picked up the writing brush again, lowering his head: "Someone with affection and Righteousness doesn't need to wear shackles anymore, affection and Righteousness themselves are already shackles. Go." (End of Chapter)