Green Mountain

Chapter 808 - 655: Serving as the Tiger’s Accomplice

The Hospital Director’s heart, inside Zhang Qian’s chest cavity, withered bit by bit like a flower fading, until it turned into a lump of black ash and scattered.

Immediately after, Zhang Qian’s corpse also shriveled, turning to ash that was blown away by the wind, leaving not even a body behind.

Jin Zhu nudged the remaining ash on the ground with his foot and muttered under his breath, "This shit is truly freakish. What kind of Path is this... have you ever heard of it?"

Li Dongyan turned his head to look at Chen Ji. "Mr. Chen was the first to pursue him here, so he must know more than we do. Why not have Mr. Chen answer?"

Chen Ji remained silent. His earlier guess seemed to have been wrong.

He had assumed the Colorful Face Path was used to disguise a Military Intelligence Department spy as Zhang Qian in order to steal seventy jin of gunpowder, but there was more than one Path in this world that could alter a person’s appearance.

Senior Brother Yao An stole seventy jin of gunpowder, not by using the Colorful Face Path to put on Zhang Qian’s face, but by driving Zhang Qian as his puppet.

Zhang Qian’s ability to wear the Hospital Director’s face also did not come from the Colorful Face Path, but from sewing the Hospital Director’s heart into his own chest cavity.

Chen Ji frowned. Could it be that Senior Brother had cultivated some other Official Gateway Path?

No. The Path he cultivated was indeed the Mountain Lord Sect’s Scripture.

Earlier, Wu Yun had also carried the Dynasty’s fate borne by the Empress out of the palace, and Zhang Qian just now had been exactly the same as Wu Yun. No wonder the other side dared to make public the matter of contracting with a beast; because what he had contracted with was not a beast, but a person.

But why was he able to sew on a heart and immediately become the Hospital Director in appearance?

Bai Long suddenly spoke. "The Book of Strange Things says: ’Those whose five viscera are devoured by a tiger transform into chang; a chang’s appearance does not change, its soul does not dissipate, but instead is enslaved by the tiger.’"

He looked at Chen Ji. "Does this resemble our present situation?"

Chen Ji jolted awake. Enslaved by a tiger as a chang?

He pressed on, "What other records do we have in our Dynasty related to Chang Ghosts?"

Bai Long cast him a glance, thought for a moment, and answered, "Also in the Book of Strange Things it is recorded that in Jingzhou someone was walking in the mountains and suddenly encountered a Chang Ghost. He hid in a tree and watched as the Chang Ghost was peeling out a human heart; once swallowed, it transformed into that person’s appearance."

"Scattered People’s Trivial Words says: All ghosts who die by tiger or drown in water are called chang. Only if someone takes their place can they be released."

"Snow Mountain Records says: In Yu State there are many tigers. A hunter set traps, and by night saw a Chang Ghost in green clothes, a small child, come to dismantle the mechanism. The hunter hid in a tree, waited for the Chang Ghost to leave, then reset the trap. The tiger arrived, fell into the pit, and died."

"Country Miscellaneous Records says: A woodcutter whose five viscera were eaten by a tiger turned into a Chang Ghost. He returned home and lured his wife outside, drawing the tiger to kill her, thereby gaining release. The Miscellany also says: a chang is adept at taking on the forms of relatives and friends to lure them out."

Case after case in these miscellanies of being enslaved as a chang to serve tigers all matched the situation before their eyes.

So Senior Brother Yao An had never contracted with a beast, but instead taken another route, turning those he killed into Chang Ghosts?

But according to those miscellanies, could it be that Senior Brother still had to eat...? At that thought, a wave of nausea welled up in Chen Ji’s chest.

He recalled what Senior Brother had just said; there seemed to be many useful pieces of information in those words. First, the other party had said that the Dynasty’s fate would remain in his own body for now and be taken later, which showed that he was convinced that as long as he killed Chen Ji, he could seize the Dynasty’s fate that Chen Ji had swallowed. Second, the man did not know that Chen Ji could come back from the brink of death; he did not have that ability himself.

At this time, the Qi Family rushed over at the sound. Seeing the members of the Eunuch Party and the death soldiers lying all over the ground, they immediately shouted in fury, "The Eunuch Party bullies people too far. How dare you come run wild in our Qi family and wound our Qi Family Protectors?"

"Breaking into a cabinet minister’s residence and committing violence is a capital crime of treason!"

Jin Zhu raised his brows. "Don’t you go spouting nonsense. The Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department tried to assassinate the Official, and we’re here to save him."

"Assassinate?" The Qi Family froze for a moment at these words, then turned and rushed toward the main house. Soon wails came from within. "Master!"

"Master has passed. Quickly dispatch a fast horse to Ji State!"

"Go report to the Five Cities Military Department!"

"Go find Master Qi Zhen and inform him of this!"

Amid the chaos of men and horses, Li Dongyan strolled unhurriedly through the crowd coming and going. He crouched down beside the Qi family’s death soldiers, carefully questioning them about something.

Interrogating one was not enough; he had to question all the death soldiers in turn and compare each man’s testimony one by one.

Jin Zhu lowered his voice and asked Chen Ji, "Does this matter have anything to do with you? Li Dongyan, like Xuan Snake, excels at law and punishment; he won’t miss even the slightest clue. Don’t harbor the slightest wishful thinking. If it really involves you, then leave now."

Chen Ji shook his head. "It has nothing to do with me. Someone is planting evidence and framing me."

As he spoke, a woman’s voice sounded from afar. Everyone turned and saw Qi Zhaoning, Qi Zhaoyun, and Qi Zhenzhen arriving together, their eyes rimmed red.

Chen Ji did not wish to come face to face with Qi Zhaoning, but since she had come through the Three Gates, he had no way to avoid her.

Qi Zhaoning came up to Chen Ji and demanded, "Didn’t you already get your wish and marry Zhang Xia? Why did you still come to harm my Qi family? Grandfather had so little time left; even that bit of time you could not let him have?"

Chen Ji said softly, "The Military Intelligence Department spies came to assassinate the Official. I came to save him."

Qi Zhaoning shouted angrily, "Where is the spy?"

Lord Jin Zhu looked at the ashes blown apart on the ground and muttered inwardly, This is bad.

Qi Zhenzhen suddenly asked softly, "All you lords here are top hands of the Spy Department—so many of you came, and yet you failed to catch the spy?"

Chen Ji cast Qi Zhenzhen a glance. Lord Jin Zhu hurriedly pointed at the Qi family Death Soldiers and said, "Though the spy’s body is gone, your Qi family Death Soldiers are enough to testify that the spy was executed on the spot by Heavenly Horse."

Qi Zhaoyun said in a low voice, "Let’s go, we’ll see Grandfather first. Leave this matter to the Housekeeper and Third Elder to handle."

She pulled the tear‑streaked Qi Zhaoning toward the main room. Qi Zhaoning turned back and screamed hysterically, "Chen Ji, what grudge does my Qi family have with you in the end!"

Chen Ji watched their figures disappear through the door, then listened to the wails coming from inside and sighed softly, "I’ll head back first. There’s someone waiting for me at the teahouse opposite the Imperial Academy..."

Before he finished speaking, he saw Li Dongyan rise from beside the Qi family Death Soldier. "Wait."

Chen Ji said calmly, "What instructions does Commander Li have?"

Li Dongyan smoothed the creases on his Fish Dragon Robe. "I have yet to inform Mr. Chen that His Majesty has already granted Qi Zhen’s request: the court will now place the Spy Department under supervision... However, it will not be under the Imperial Inspection Office, but under my Jiefan Guard. From this day on, any operation by the Spy Department must be conducted in the presence of a Jiefan Guard Thousand Households or Commander."

Lord Jin Zhu narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, blocking Chen Ji. "Commander Li, in an emergency we must bend the rules. Chen Ji seized a Military Intelligence Department spy and brought him here. If you intend to slap him with some charge like trespassing in a court official’s residence, I advise you to save your breath."

Li Dongyan shook his head and said unhurriedly, "Lord Jin Zhu, you misunderstand. Back in Taiyuan Prefecture I dealt with people from all walks of life and personally captured more than ten Jing Dynasty spies. Naturally I understand the principle of bending rules in an emergency. I won’t make things difficult for Mr. Chen on this matter."

Lord Jin Zhu asked in puzzlement, "Then what do you intend to do?"

Li Dongyan rested his hand on the hilt at his waist, staring straight at Chen Ji. "Mr. Chen is the Hai Dongqing of the Spy Department; I am the Commander of the Jiefan Guard. We both serve under the Ritual Supervision and ought not impede one another. Even so, I still wish to ask one question: what is Mr. Chen’s Official Gateway?"

Bai Long said in a low voice, "A Cultivation Path is an Executive Offcier’s greatest secret. How can it be questioned at will?"

Li Dongyan rubbed the hilt. "Before I came to the Qi Mansion, I received a tip stating that Mr. Chen’s Cultivation Path is called Mountain Lord, and that it can devour the court’s fortune. Is this true?"

Chen Ji replied evenly, "Slander fabricated by the Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Department. I have clashed with the Military Intelligence Department several times and personally dragged out their Chief Si Caoding. They see me as a thorn in their eye, a spike in their flesh, and wish to borrow another’s blade to kill me."

Li Dongyan slowly advanced. "Then may I ask, from where did Mr. Chen’s Official Gateway come? If it was taught by Doctor Yao, why have we never heard he was an Executive Offcier? If it was passed down by our Ritual Supervision, why is there no record in the Jiefan Building Archive Room?"

Bai Long stepped in front of Li Dongyan, his voice betraying no joy or anger. "The Ritual Supervision holds many Official Gateways that are kept secret and never publicized. Even the Paths of Lord Jin Zhu and the mountain bull are not recorded. Commander Li, you and I both serve the Prime Minister. Best not use those petty tricks you employ on peddlers and riffraff against your own people."

Li Dongyan halted. "If Mr. Chen wishes to clear his name, it’s simple—just display your Official Gateway in public."

Chen Ji said calmly, "My Official Gateway is special and cannot be shown lightly. If you wish to know the truth, that is simple as well—have Meng Ji interrogate me once and all will be clear."

Li Dongyan shook his head. "Mr. Chen knows full well that Meng Ji was grievously wounded by civil servants before the Imperial Court and will be unable to use the Sweet Dream God for half a year."

Chen Ji added, "If you wish to see my Official Gateway, that’s fine too. I can display it to His Majesty alone."

To reveal the Sword Seed Path to Emperor Ning alone was the safest course. Emperor Ning would surely not leak it to the Jing Dynasty or the Temple of Martial Arts.

But Li Dongyan smiled. "All the Qi family Death Soldiers say that the man who assassinated the Official addressed Mr. Chen as ’senior brother.’ Mr. Chen wishes for a private audience with His Majesty—could that too be a scheme of the Military Intelligence Department?"

Lord Jin Zhu cursed, "What nonsense are you spouting? Do you have any idea how many spies he’s personally caught?"

Li Dongyan slanted a look at Lord Jin Zhu. "It’s true Si Caoding was dragged out by him, but did any of you actually capture Si Caoding? No. How am I to know this wasn’t a bitter‑meat ploy staged by Chen Ji together with the Military Intelligence Department?"

Lord Jin Zhu sneered. "You mean Chen Ji pretended to catch spies while secretly sending word, letting Si Caoding escape just to put on a show for us?"

Li Dongyan replied lazily, "Lord Jin Zhu, I’ve arrested many people. Before ironclad evidence is produced, every last one of them cries injustice, as if there isn’t a single villain under heaven. You’ve interrogated spies yourself; you should know how vicious they are... I don’t believe what people say, nor do I trust people’s hearts. I trust only evidence."

His voice suddenly dropped. "Mr. Chen, all the Qi family Death Soldiers heard the Jing Dynasty assassin address you as senior brother. Did this happen?"

Chen Ji answered firmly, "A frame‑up."

Li Dongyan shifted the topic. "So you don’t acknowledge him... Then let me ask this: how did you guess he would go after the Imperial Hospital Director? No need to panic, Mr. Chen—I am only speculating. You are a meritorious man in our Dynasty for capturing the Military Intelligence Department. Naturally I will not trouble you lightly. Yet those rumors circulating in the streets are of grave importance, so I must ask Mr. Chen to accompany me back to the inner prison. Once everything is brought to light, I will, of course, return your good name."

"Sorry, I cannot go to the inner prison," Chen Ji said, turning to leave.

Li Dongyan had just stepped forward to seize him when Lord Jin Zhu made a gesture. He and Heavenly Horse flanked Li Dongyan left and right, pinning him between them so he could not break through. Without looking back, Lord Jin Zhu said to Chen Ji, "Don’t return to the Zhang Family yet. We’ll help you uncover the truth."

Lord Jin Zhu, Heavenly Horse, and Bai Long faced off against Li Dongyan beneath the Three Gates, tension crackling like drawn blades.

At this moment, Heavenly Horse signed with his hands: "I also think that kid is a bit suspicious."

Lord Jin Zhu, watching Li Dongyan’s hand clenching the hilt, translated with a feral grin, "Commander Li, you can try drawing your blade."

Heavenly Horse rolled his eyes.

Li Dongyan watched Chen Ji’s receding back and slowly relaxed his fingers. "No need. Lord Jin Zhu, if you’re willing to stake your life and livelihood on him, then see that you don’t actually lose that life for his sake. Besides, I can understand hand signs."