Lord Xuan Snake halted and looked at him: "How could the Lord Pri Minister appoint a youth to beco one of the Top Three? This person definitely isn't Binghu! Beat the drums, don't let them escape the Forbidden City... Seal the Water Gate, they are with the Cao Guild, soone will surely et them there. I will head to Jiefan Building now, to report this matter to the Lord Pri Minister. Before I leave the palace, not even a fly is allowed out."
Xuan Snake's steps didn't stop as he passed the Eagle House Office, arriving in front of the West Gate. He showed his waist tag to the Jiefan Guard and shouted, "Open the door!"
At this mont, a shadow turned around at the West Gate.
Changxiu.
Changxiu, smiling broadly, said, "Oh, it's Lord Xuan Snake. Out so late, not resting?"
Xuan Snake's steps paused slightly, as he looked over the delicate-featured little eunuch in front of him and growled, "Move aside!"
The Jiefan Guard pushed the West Gate open a crack, and Changxiu stepped aside with a smile, gesturing for him to proceed.
Xuan Snake walked past him and entered the West Gate.
Behind him, Changxiu stood in the gap of the West Gate, smiling as he watched his back.
...
...
Drums sounded urgently and densely atop the walls of the Forbidden City.
The drumbeats spread from the Forbidden City to the walls of the inner city and then to the Nine Gates, with all nine city gates closing simultaneously with a thunderous roar.
Amidst the drumbeats, the Five Cities Military Departnt patrolling the night acted promptly, rushing onto the streets to drive the citizens back ho. Anyone wandering the streets an hour later would be exiled to Lingnan without exception.
A curfew was enforced.
Chen Ji contemplated briefly beside the carriage, then beckoned to Lü Qi and the others to get into the carriage: "Head to Anding Gate."
Lü Qi shook the reins, driving the carriage hurriedly towards the northern Anding Gate. Inside the carriage, Chen Huainan anxiously said, "With all Nine Gates locked, how can we go through Anding Gate? We should head to the North Water Pass now; my Cao Guild people are there to et us. With a swift boat, it only takes an hour to reach the Yongding River."
Everyone in the carriage looked towards Chen Ji, but he sat quietly, eyes closed, showing no intention of changing his mind.
Chen Huainan then turned to Bai Li: "Gang Leader?"
Bai Li replied softly, "Head to Anding Gate."
The carriage fell silent.
Chen Huainan and the others pondered whether Chen Ji was indeed Binghu, casting doubtful glances at him from ti to ti, but they couldn't be sure.
The galloping carriage happened to pass by the conducting of a Bodhisattva parade. Monks were carrying the Suru Base, heading back to Yuanjue Temple earlier because of the curfew, chanting in unison: "... Emptiness, neither past nor future, neither present..."
Bai Li sat at the back of the carriage, quietly observing Chen Ji's profile. Since boarding the carriage, Chen Ji hadn't opened his eyes.
The story of the fad Li Changge in the Imperial Capital, who appeared whenever the Commandery Princess was in trouble.
But the story should end; Li Changge will not appear again.
The dark Skyline at Lu Hun Manor, the white cloaks of the Yulin Army flapping in the wind on the way to Ancestor Silkworm Altar, and the qilin red robe entering the Imperial Music Bureau, all like vexing dreams, unable to reach Nirvana.
Suddenly, Lü Qi, who was driving, exclaid in alarm: "Not good, the Five Cities Military Departnt is blocking the path at Anding Gate!"
Chen Huainan hurriedly lifted the carriage curtain slightly and saw chevaux-de-frise blocking Anding Gate, with hundreds of infantry standing densely before the gate.
The drumbeats above the city tower were urgent.
...
...
In front of Anding Gate, chevaux-de-frise lined up in three rows.
The pointed tips of the wooden poles looked fearso and nacing under the torches' illumination, while shadows crowded behind the chevaux-de-frise.
The leader wore chain armor and held a long spear, its tip pointed towards the ground, standing as still as a statue.
Torches.
Torches were everywhere.
On either side of the city gate tunnel, rows of torches were inserted, lighting the surrounding area for tens of ters as bright as day. The flickering light cast long shadows of the infantry, overlapping like a wall.
The city tower was even more densely packed; a torch every three steps outlined the entire tower clearly.
Heads poked out from the parapet, belonging to archers. The arrows were already notched, pointing slightly towards the ground, ready to turn the ground into a pincushion at a command.
The drumbeats continued.
Not just the drums on the city tower, but several from all directions. Anding Gate, Desheng Gate, Xizhi Gate, Dongzhi Gate... Drums at all nine gates were beating, one after another.
"What did I say?" Chen Huainan sharply turned back, glaring at Chen Ji: "I said to go to the North Water Pass, where my Cao Guild people are! The boat hides in the reeds, and once there, we can reach the Yongding River within an hour! Now what, where do you want us to go?"
Zheng Zhou also leaned over, his face a ghastly white with urgency: "Chen Huainan is right, what now?"
Chen Ji hadn't opened his eyes, still sitting at the very edge of the carriage with a straight back: "Keep going."
Lü Qi looked frantically at Bai Li, who calmly said, "Keep going."
"You!" Chen Huainan pointed at Chen Ji: "Whether you're Binghu or Prince Jing's forr subordinate, I don't care who you are! But since you brought us this way, you owe us an explanation! Continuing forward is like walking into a trap!"
Outside, Lü Qi shouted in a restrained voice, "Stop arguing, the Military Departnt's people are moving!"
Chen Huainan leaned forward and peeked through the corner of the curtain outside.
The military general on horseback had moved. He held a long spear and rode closer, stopping only before the chevaux-de-frise.
The torchlight revealed his young face, his eyes as cold as a dagger: "During the curfew, who dares to walk the streets?"
His voice was not loud but clearly penetrated the carriage.
Chen Huainan glanced back at Chen Ji, who finally opened his eyes. He saw that the military general guarding the city gate was the forr Hundred Households of the Yulin Army, now the Deputy Commander of the Five Cities Military Departnt, Lin Yanchu.
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