The crowd looked and were shocked to see She Dengke’s sleeve slashed open by a sharp weapon, cut all the way from his wrist to his elbow, his clothes torn and blood pouring out.
Old Yao tore open the torn part of the clothes, saw the wound gaping open, and his expression imdiately darkened, "What kind of thief is this cruel? If you’re going to steal, just steal, why hurt soone like this?!"
As he was speaking, a carriage slowly stopped at the door. It was Shopkeeper Yuan jumping down from the carriage, holding two bags of pastries as he walked into the dical Hall with a beaming smile.
Shopkeeper Yuan was dressed in bright red satin, his head adorned with a gold crown, exuding an aura of wealth.
He placed the pastries on the counter and smiled as he bowed his hands together, "Doctor Yao, I’ve co to visit Chen Ji again. Is he feeling any better today?"
Doctor Yao gave him a cold glance and spoke indifferently, "Chen Ji is in the yard. Go see for yourself."
Shopkeeper Yuan went straight to the backyard and sat down across from Chen Ji, lifting the hem of his garnt.
While peeling the outer layers of a large onion, Chen Ji asked calmly, "Did you cause She Dengke’s injury?"
Shopkeeper Yuan said with a smile, "I asked you to contact that person at the Prince Mansion. Yet, you didn’t even go out yesterday, nor did you send any ssages to . I said I’d only give you one day. Since you chose to test my patience, then I have to let you know the consequences of that challenge."
Chen Ji threw away the onion in his hand and looked into Shopkeeper Yuan’s eyes, "What if I still refuse to help you make contact?"
Shopkeeper Yuan picked up the onion Chen Ji had thrown on the ground and peeled it layer by layer until reaching the core and then gently snapped it in half, "Starting today, if you don’t make contact, one person will die here in Taiping dical Hall every day. If everyone is dead and you still haven’t made contact, you will have to die too."
Chen Ji fell silent.
Now, Liang Gou’er was unwilling to oppose the Spy Departnt, and although Liang Mao’er had natural divine strength, she was unable to guard against stealthy spy attacks.
If Shopkeeper Yuan was truly determined to force his hand, making Taiping dical Hall lose one person a day was definitely not an empty threat.
Furthermore, if the other party discovered any signs of his defection and whistleblowing to the Spy Departnt, those three responsible for monitoring the Taiping dical Hall would imdiately kill to silence the witnesses.
Chen Ji spoke gravely, "I told you I am seriously injured and barely able to move. How can I make contact with that person in the Prince Mansion?"
Shopkeeper Yuan lowered his voice and said seriously, "Do you know how many soldiers from our Jing Dynasty border army have been killed by Ning Dynasty’s firearms? To obtain these blueprints and formulas, how many spies from our Military Intelligence Departnt have died in succession? Now that we’re only one step away, how can your actions alone be allowed to delay us?"
Chen Ji suddenly had an epiphany. That rainy night, Shopkeeper Yuan visited the dical Hall and was caught by Jin Zhu.
The other party could have killed him right then and there. The fact that they didn’t, wasn’t out of kindness, but because they feared his death would delay the second delivery of goods!
Once all the goods were delivered, Shopkeeper Yuan would surely kill him!
Shopkeeper Yuan stared at Chen Ji and threw the broken onion on the ground, "I’ve said all that needs to be said. The sooner we get this batch of goods, the sooner our Jing Dynasty can replicate Ning Dynasty’s firearms. Our border army dies gloriously at the frontier, and we within the Ning Dynasty must also be prepared to give our lives."
After a mont of silence, Chen Ji replied, "Understood. I will contact the VIP at the Prince Mansion as soon as possible. Before midnight tomorrow, I will get the ti and place of the second batch of goods delivery."
Shopkeeper Yuan smiled in relief. He stood up, patted Chen Ji’s shoulder, and said, "That’s more like it. Oh, I brought so pastries from Zhengxin House and left them on the counter. Don’t forget to eat them. Succeeding in this task, I will promote you to Pigeon Level. Our dynasty doesn’t treat its ritorious servants poorly."
After finishing his words, he left the dical Hall with a swagger, while Chen Ji sat alone in the courtyard, plunging into endless silence.
It was no longer just about when and where to deliver the goods. Once he left, Shopkeeper Yuan would surely not spare the people around him.
Neither Shopkeeper Yuan nor Jin Zhu would let them go. The intelligence agencies of both dynasties had been fighting ruthlessly for many years, their hearts as hard as iron, not caring at all about civilians’ lives.
In their eyes, human lives were as cheap as weeds.
So, to leave or not to leave?
If he didn’t go, everyone would die together.
Chen Ji stood up and thodically cooked. When the dishes were served, everyone praised them endlessly. Even the freshly injured She Dengke, his wounds bandaged, downed three bowls of white rice.
Among the laughter and chatter, only Chen Ji remained silent and withdrawn.
This al shouldn’t have been eaten this way.
While they were eating, Chen Ji suddenly ventured to ask, "Master, should we just let it go since She Dengke was cut by a thief?"
Old Yao glanced at him, "Those thieves in the streets are organized. If you take revenge on one, a whole group will co after you. Would you still be alive then?"
"Oh."
Old Yao added aningfully, "Go where you must go, do what you must do, and don’t be influenced by others because of soone else."
Chen Ji was startled. Suddenly he felt, could his master have guessed sothing?
What did his words an, was he telling him to leave quickly?
Laughing heartily, She Dengke said, "Chen Ji, don’t worry about this matter anymore, and don’t hurt yourself because of ."
After finishing their al, Chen Ji lay back down on the bamboo chair. He slowly closed his eyes, returning to that ancient battlefield, picking up the long knife nad ’Whale.’
...
...
At night, Chen Ji slowly opened his eyes and stepped into the courtyard.
Liang Gou’er still hadn’t returned. The Princely Heir and Commandery Princess, the little monk too hadn’t climbed over the wall for a shortcut, not even a proper goodbye.
Guided by Uncle Crow, Chen Ji climbed into the backyard of a fabric shop. He saw Wu Hongbiao, not knowing from where he had found a broom and a bucket, washing and sweeping the yard.
Reviews
All reviews (0)