Green Mountain
Chapter 82 - 68、Whale

Chapter 82: 68、Whale

In Taiping Medical Hall, the commotion caused by Jin Zhu’s arrival left everyone silent and reserved.

In the apprentice bedroom, a person and a cat.

Wu Yun whispered his findings, "We followed him all the way to the south. This man is very alert. The slightest hint of trouble would make him stop immediately to observe his surroundings, then he would set traps to lure those following him."

"After going back and forth four times, he finally relaxed, drove a carriage out of the forest near Tuoluo Temple in the south, and waited at the temple entrance. Not long after, I saw Liu Mingxian come out of the temple and get into the carriage..."

Chen Ji was astonished, "He is actually Liu Mingxian’s coachman? The same one who took Master from the Medical Hall to see Old Master Liu..."

He reflected for a moment then said, "I guess Liu Mingxian doesn’t know that there’s someone from the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department hiding beside him, otherwise why would the Military Intelligence Department need me to connect with Consort Yun?"

This coachman’s position was compromised so well that he could not only keep track of Liu Mingxian’s movements at any time but could also eavesdrop on his conversations with others.

All of Liu’s family coachmen lived together; if the other coachmen were off-guard, this coachman could even find out where other members of the Liu family went, what they did, and whom they met.

However, such an astute and cautious coachman, why risk exposing himself by coming to Taiping Medical Hall this morning...Was it to kill me?

Chen Ji recalled the dialogue between the two coachmen, with Manager Yuan asking, "What are you doing here?"

The coachman responded, "What are you doing here?"

Then, Manager Yuan said, "Now I’m in charge of Luocheng, you need to understand your place."

Chen Ji muttered to himself, "’You need to understand your place,’ what could be the context for such a remark?"

Wu Yun raised a paw, "I know this, the day before yesterday, after I took in a leader cat, it still didn’t obey me, so I beat it again and said, ’Understand your place!’"

Chen Ji was taken aback, a spark of realization flashed in his mind: "So that’s it, the power in the Luocheng Military Intelligence Department has changed hands. It used to be that coachman who was in charge of Luocheng, but now it has shifted to the newly arrived Manager Yuan, and the coachman was marginalized."

The power shift within the Military Intelligence Department, his uncle’s move from power to the sides.

And that coachman, who had often mentioned that his uncle asked him to look after him, must have been close to his uncle and naturally became a target for exclusion.

Chen Ji puzzled, "But why did he come to Taiping Medical Hall this morning? Was it to kill me?"

Wu Yun’s expression became serious, "He wants to kill you?!"

"Maybe not," Chen Ji shook his head.

Previously, Wu Hongbiao said that this coachman had intended to kill them to make a statement, but Chen Ji had always been dubious:

That coachman looked extremely fierce, but...

When the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department suspected him of betraying Zhou Chengyi and turning against them, no matter how the subordinates accused, the coachman never did harm him.

Indeed, he had once hung him upside down for interrogation, but after the interrogation, not even a single piece of his skin was broken.

Chen Ji didn’t care what others said, he only watched what others did. Judging by these two doubts alone, that coachman had actually never harbored a killing intent toward him.

Even if the coachman had changed his mind and wanted to kill him to make a statement, the timing was off.

Last night he and Liu Mingxian were together at East Market, the coachman must have been there too, and he would have noticed him.

If he wanted to kill him, there were plenty of opportunities last night, why wait to come to the Medical Hall this early morning?

So, he wasn’t here to kill him.

Now Chen Ji was even more puzzled, "Then what was he doing at Taiping Medical Hall this morning? What could make a naturally cautious person sneak into the Medical Hall while his employer was away offering prayers and incense? Was there some variable?"

Wait, it was because Manager Yuan had arrived.

The coachman wasn’t here to kill him; he was here to protect him!

Chen Ji laughed at his own deduction, "Why would he protect me though... But then, either Wu Hongbiao got it wrong, or he was lying, and I need to figure this out. Wu Yun, did Wu Hongbiao go out yesterday?"

Wu Yun answered, "No, you didn’t bring him food yesterday, so I went back to the Medical Hall and got two pieces of grain cakes from Uncle Crow and brought them to him; don’t worry, I placed them by the door while he was sleeping, he didn’t notice me."

"Drinking makes a mess..."

Just then, Liang Mao’er’s voice came from outside the window, "Brother, why didn’t you lend a hand just now?"

Liang Gou’er curled his lip, idly twirling a bamboo broom and muttering, "I’ve told you I have Three No Help Policy, remember? I don’t help the Eunuch Party, nor those who oppose the Eunuch Party."

"But we’re friends," Liang Mao’er, flushed with urgency, retorted, "We just went to see the sunrise at the drum tower this morning."

Liang Gou’er scoffed, "There are many who’ve watched the sunset with me, should I help every single one of them? Don’t take seriously what’s said while drinking; that’s the rule of the drinking scene!"

Livid, Liang Mao’er snatched his broom away, "How have you become like this? You weren’t like this before!"

Liang Gou’er grumbled, "That was then and this is now."

Inside, Wu Yun turned to Chen Ji, "What just happened?"

Chen Ji was silent for a moment then asked, "Wu Yun, would you be angry if your friend hid many things from you?"

Wu Yun thought for a long while, "I don’t know, you are my first and only friend, I don’t have experience in this... but I suppose I would be."

Chen Ji sighed internally; just now Princess Bai Li had stormed off in a huff, possibly upset because: everyone had been through scoldings, shared drinks, seen sunrises together, and she had considered everyone friends in her heart. Why then would someone refuse to help a friend in need, and why would someone keep so many secrets?