Green Mountain
Chapter 223 - 175, The Blood Must Be Cold_3

Chapter 223: 175, The Blood Must Be Cold_3

Chen Ji pulled a waist tag from his bosom, "A spy from the Spy Department, looking for Doctor Yao of Taiping Medical Hall."

A Jiefan Guard under the douli scrutinized him, "Doctor Yao and Mr. Chen have both left the Prince Mansion; you should go back to the Medical Hall to find them."

Chen Ji thanked him, then returned to the Taiping Medical Hall, only to find the door firmly shut.

He frowned and pushed open the gate, "Master, I’m back!"

No one answered.

Chen Ji led his warhorse through the main hall to the backyard, the courtyard was quiet and empty, only the red ribbons on the apricot tree added a hint of warmth... Could the Jiefan Guard have deceived him?

He shouted loudly, "Master, are you at home?’

The next moment, he saw that the stove in the kitchen had already been lit, and a pot of white porridge was cooking on it, which finally let him breathe a sigh of relief. The master and the others had indeed been returned but had gone who knows where.

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, tied the reins of his warhorse to the apricot tree, then started undressing in front of the water tank.

He poured scoop after scoop of ice-cold, bone-chilling water over his head, washing away all the dust. Only when his skin turned red did he finally stop.

Just as he was returning to his bedroom to change into dry clothes, he heard Old Yao’s grumbling from outside, "I only step out for a moment, and you’ve already turned the courtyard into a pool of water. Are you one of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals from the Luo River, so fond of cold water baths?"

Chen Ji, inside the room, heard this familiar caustic voice and laughed.

While buttoning his crossing-collar garment, he stepped outside, "Master, where are Senior Brother She and Senior Brother Liu?"

Old Yao disparagingly said, "Those two cowards, after being put under house arrest, were crying for their parents, so I let them go home to rest. What about Wu Yun, haven’t seen it in several days."

Chen Ji explained, "It’s helping me look for someone."

Old Yao glanced at him sideways, "When you see it, tell it to come home."

Chen Ji responded affirmatively and looked towards the kitchen, "Master, did you make my meal?"

Old Yao scoffed, "A short-lived ghost doesn’t need to eat, it’s a waste of food."

Chen Ji was startled, "What do you mean by that, Master?"

Old Yao stood arms behind his back under the apricot tree, looking up at the red ribbons in the tree, "You are a smart child, but you are not smart enough."

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment, "How so?"

Old Yao said, "In the eyes of the world’s smartest people, there are only interests, no emotions. Look at those dignitaries in the court, each one has perfected the art of staying out of trouble. Playing with your life like you do won’t last long. Kid, once you have attachments, your heart becomes disordered. When you were in Cuiyun Lane, you shouldn’t have mingled with the armored soldiers, let alone taking risks under Mr. Feng’s nose to save someone at the Prince Jing Mansion."

Only then did Chen Ji understand, Old Yao knew everything, he didn’t know where Uncle Crow was hiding, watching his every move clearly.

He defiantly said, "But I couldn’t really kill you, could I?"

Old Yao coldly laughed, "That Mr. Feng clearly realized there was something wrong with your identity, that’s why he ordered us killed. Zhang Zhuo has the backing of the Xu Family, and I am an unconnected Imperial Physician, why would he kill us? Normally, you would have figured this out by now, but you didn’t yesterday."

Chen Ji said no more.

Old Yao continued to ridicule, "Seeing Lord Jin Zhu being dragged away, you couldn’t help but take action, completely disregarding your own situation; seeing someone about to kill Bai Li, you even lost your basic composure. If Heavenly Horse hadn’t arrived just in time, would you still be breathing and able to talk to me?"

The small courtyard fell silent; neither master nor disciple spoke again.

After a long while.

Old Yao glanced sidelong at Chen Ji, who was hanging his head silently, and finally sighed, "Kid, considering your youth, I won’t say more. But I’ll remind you just this once, if you wish to succeed, your heart may be hot, but your blood must be cold."

Chen Ji responded, "Thank you, Master, I will remember."

Just then, the wooden door of the Medical Hall creaked open as someone entered uninvited.

Chen Ji turned to look, his pupils suddenly constricted.

He saw the masked Bai Long walking casually, the bloodstains still visible on his clothes.

Chen Ji asked calmly, "Lord Bai Long, I wonder what brings you here?"

Lord Bai Long casually carried a chair to the center of the courtyard and sat down before looking up and explaining, "Just passing by Taiping Medical Hall, decided to rest my feet. Don’t be nervous, let’s just sit and talk."

Old Yao lifted his foot and walked away, "You chat, I still need to cook."

Bai Long watched as Old Yao entered the kitchen, then turned to Chen Ji, "Yun Yang mentioned that you are unwilling to work under me? Do you know how many people within the Ritual Supervision want to serve under my command, yet I don’t think highly of them?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment and then responded, "Lord Bai Long, it’s not that I am unwilling, but I have already pledged my loyalty to Lord Jin Zhu."

Bai Long lowered his head and pondered for a moment before looking up again and asking, "What if Jin Zhu were to die?"

Chen Ji was shocked, "Lord Bai Long, why would you talk about fratricide?"

Bai Long laughed heartily, "That brat Jin Zhu talks ill of me behind my back all the time; I’ve wanted to kill him for a while."

Chen Ji furrowed his brow.

Bai Long said with interest, "Ah well, why do you take a joke so seriously? Let’s stop joking. I specifically came to find you this time."

"Hmm?"

Bai Long asked solemnly, "Someone from the Liu Family informed me that, before Prince Jing moved against the Liu Family, he had intentions that were more than just a feigned plot. He had Consort Yun secretly contact the chief of Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department for a major discussion, but after the Military Intelligence Department’s forces in Luocheng City were completely surrounded and defeated, he reluctantly gave up on the idea of revolt and had no choice but to continue following my plan."

Bai Long asked solemnly, "Did you know about Prince Jing’s intentions to turn the play real?"

Chen Ji’s heart tightened suddenly.

Consort Yun’s alliance with the Military Intelligence Department, wasn’t that a trap set by the Spy Department and Prince Jing together? If not, did Prince Jing really consider taking advantage of the situation to rebel?

No no no, that’s not right!

It was the Spy Department that aimed to trap Prince Jing!

This scheme from the beginning aimed not only to eliminate the Liu Family but served to kill two birds with one stone!

Bai Long asked calmly, "Why aren’t you speaking?"

Chen Ji responded nonchalantly, "Lord Bai Long, with such a significant matter, how would Prince Jing let me know? Why not capture Consort Yun and question her?"

Bai Long said with a smile, "Consort Yun is a smart person. Seeing that the situation was not favorable, she hid right away. My men searched for her all night but couldn’t find where she was hiding."

Chen Ji regretfully said, "What a pity. If she had been captured, the truth could definitely have been forced out of her."

Bai Long said, "Now that this key witness is missing, I want to ask you, you have close interactions with the Princely Heir and Commandery Princess, have you ever heard them say a word or phrase?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "No."

Bai Long further inquired, "What if I threaten with Bai Li’s life, could that force Consort Yun out?"

Chen Ji shook his head, "I don’t know."

Bai Long’s tone gradually sharpened, "Do you not know, or do you not wish to answer? Young man, you need to understand that you are a member of my Spy Department, and harboring a traitor is a capital offense."

Chen Ji calmly said, "Lord Bai Long, I have no connection with Consort Yun whatsoever. These questions you are asking, I naturally cannot answer. Otherwise, I will go and help you capture Consort Yun myself; capturing her will surely reveal the truth."

Beneath his mask, Bai Long looked at him intently for a long while before chuckling softly and standing up, "No matter, you take a good rest for now. Maybe when you’re fully energized, you might recall some clues, goodbye."

With that, Bai Long, with his hands behind his back, leisurely disappeared from the entrance of the medical hall, arriving suddenly and leaving just as suddenly.

Chen Ji stood up, his gaze crossing the corridor towards the desolate Anxi Street. He turned his head for a brief glance at the apricot tree, then walked outside.

Old Yao came out of the kitchen holding a pottery bowl, his tone subdued, "So hasty to leave, not eating?"

"Uh, I won’t eat at home."

Old Yao snorted and said, "Do you remember what I just told you?"

Chen Ji took a deep breath, then said resolutely, "I remember, the heart can be warm, but the blood must be cold."