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 immediately darkened, "What kind of thief is this cruel? If you’re going to steal, just steal, why hurt someone 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 Medical 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 come 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 garment.
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 messages to me. 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 Medical 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 Department, 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 Medical 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 Department, those three responsible for monitoring the Taiping Medical Hall would immediately 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 Department 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 Medical 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 moment 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 time 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 some 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 meritorious servants poorly."
After finishing his words, he left the Medical 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 methodically 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 meal 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 come after you. Would you still be alive then?"
"Oh."
Old Yao added meaningfully, "Go where you must go, do what you must do, and don’t be influenced by others because of someone else."
Chen Ji was startled. Suddenly he felt, could his master have guessed something?
What did his words mean, 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 me."
After finishing their meal, Chen Ji lay back down on the bamboo chair. He slowly closed his eyes, returning to that ancient battlefield, picking up the long knife named ’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.