Midnight.
Chen Ji woke up from a dream and slowly sat up.
In the shabby apprentice dormitory, Liang Mao’er, She Dengke, and Liu Quxing were soundly asleep, while Liang Gou’er was still out sowhere causing trouble and hadn’t co back for the night.
Normally inseparable, Mao’er and Gou’er had not left together today.
With difficulty, Chen Ji got out of his bed and tiptoed to the courtyard to figure out whether Wu Hongbiao had lied or not.
The empty courtyard was left only with Crow perched upon an apricot tree branch.
Chen Ji looked over at the courtyard wall equipped with a ladder.
No one was climbing up using their brother’s shoulders anymore, nor was anyone on the opposite wall shaking as they supported their sister.
The Princely Heir and Princess Bai Li had suddenly stopped coming out to play, or perhaps they no longer used the dical Hall as a shortcut; thus, Taiping dical Hall had regained its forr tranquility.
Chen Ji took so leftover food and water from the kitchen and turned to walk outside the dical Hall when Crow blocked his path, pointing outside.
"What do you an, Uncle Crow?" Chen Ji asked, puzzled.
Crow flapped his wings and gestured, first pointing outside the dical Hall, then mid drawing a sword from his waist.
Chen Ji, stunned, said, "Are you trying to say that Taiping dical Hall is being watched?"
Crow nodded his head in affirmation.
Chen Ji shivered internally, "Uncle Crow, who is watching the dical Hall? If it’s the Spy Departnt, blink once; if it’s the Military Intelligence Departnt, blink twice."
Crow blinked three tis...
Chen Ji was speechless.
Crow opened his beak as if mocking Chen Ji for his impending trouble.
Frowning in contemplation, Chen Ji wondered why these two factions were watching him and where exactly had things gone wrong.
Moreover, if both factions were watching at the sa ti, how should he go out to et Wu Hongbiao?
Crow stopped mocking and flapped his wings, signaling Chen Ji to follow him, then flew onto the roof of the main hall of the dical Hall.
Chen Ji carried a ladder and stealthily climbed up following Crow.
At midnight, a man and a crow poked their heads out from the roof ridge, secretly observing the shop opposite the main hall.
Separated by Anxi Street, the dim night made it hard to see clearly.
Crow pointed toward the third shop on the right on the second floor, where the dark interior had a window cracked open, perfectly aligning with the front door of Taiping dical Hall.
Then Crow pointed to the second shop on the left on the second floor, with the window also cracked open, facing directly the front entrance of Taiping dical Hall.
It seed both factions were observing who was entering and leaving the dical Hall.
Chen Ji muttered, "Good thing they didn’t rent the sa unit..."
Crow silently laughed.
Chen Ji pulled his head back behind the roof ridge and whispered, "Uncle Crow, how many people are in the right-side shop?"
Crow blinked three tis. Three.
"And the left side?"
Crow blinked three tis again. Also three.
Chen Ji felt a strong sense of danger; having one person would be normal surveillance, but deploying three indicated preparation for an arrest or assassination.
Luckily, he had Uncle Crow’s help...
Chen Ji turned to Crow and said gratefully, "Thank you, Uncle Crow, for helping again... Why are you willing to help ?"
Crow silently smiled without responding.
Chen Ji asked further, "How should I get to the cloth store?"
Crow flapped his wings, motioning to go around to the back.
Following Crow’s guidance, Chen Ji navigated through the shadows between the buildings along Anxi Street and climbed into the cloth store’s backyard.
Moreover, Uncle Crow even took care of the aftermath. Once Chen Ji entered the yard, Crow perched on the wall to keep watch.
Hearing the noise of climbing over the wall, Wu Hongbiao, who was lying on the ground, sat up and said, "Finally, you’re here. Are the Military Intelligence Departnt and Spy Departnt still after ?"
Chen Ji replied, "They are still after you, but I managed to lead them to West Market. I heard the cloth store is about to sublease soon, and this isn’t a place to stay for long; soone might co to inspect the shop at any mont."
Wu Hongbiao thought for a mont and said, "Then I’ll clean up here tomorrow. If soone cos, I will climb out of the yard, and once they leave, I’ll climb back in."
"It’s still not safe."
Wu Hongbiao thought for a mont and said, "Have you found Si Cao’s true identity?"
Chen Ji paused for a mont, "Answer so questions for and help with sothing first, then I can answer your question."
Wu Hongbiao scrutinized Chen Ji, "You’ve changed."
Chen Ji leaned against the door fra, letting the moonlight stretch his shadow. Forr brothers, one standing at the door, the other sitting on the ground, both looking disheveled like brothers in hardship, yet maintaining a safe distance.
Wu Hongbiao spoke softly, "You used to not endure rigorous training and had poor vigilance. Of course, that’s also related to the environnt you grew up in. We were conscripted into the harshest military camps in the North at the age of twelve in the Jing Dynasty, trained in frigid locations where half the year was winter. There was only so much food in the camp, if you weren’t outstanding, you’d go hungry, and skipping two als often led to death by freezing. There, even getting a full al required scheming against each other."
Wu Hongbiao continued, "You grew up in the fragrant, bird-filled South of the Ning Dynasty, with gorgeous dancers and singers, and dashing writers and scholars. With the boats and lights on the Qinhuai River, living here naturally... made you sowhat softer."
Chen Ji asked calmly, "And now?"
Wu Hongbiao answered earnestly, "It’s different now. Although I don’t know what you went through, the current you seems more like a qualified soldier. Although being distrusted is disappointing, I’m genuinely happy for you. Only soone like you now can survive until the day we et again."
Chen Ji lowered his head, "Then you were betrayed by the Jing Dynasty, have you considered defecting to the Spy Departnt?"
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