The Azure Mountain

Chapter 115: Only Watching the Commotion

"Interrogating right now?"

"Interrogating right now!"

In the distance, the raging inferno burned the morning glow red, while nearby, the river water was like ink.

Jin Zhu completely changed his usual beaming expression. Staring straight at Chen Ji in the river, he said ferociously: "Today the Liu family suddenly set up an ambush to surround and kill me. If Tian Ma hadn't arrived in time, I'm afraid I would have already died on the bridge. Incapable of figuring out who is making mischief behind my back, how can I sleep?!"

Having said that, disregarding Shopkeeper Yuan's curses, Jin Zhu actually forcefully stomped and broke the other party's hands and feet, forcefully crushing the shinbones and radius bones, only then did he let out a long breath of foul air.

Tonight, he truly thought he was going to die.

Treading on the cobblestones beneath his feet, Chen Ji slowly waded ashore: "Lord Jin Zhu couldn't be suspecting that I have problems, right? If I were a Jing Dynasty spy, why would I risk my life to chase after him? If it weren't for me stalling for time, presumably it wouldn't have been this easy for Lord to catch him either."

"What if the two of you joined forces to put on an act?" Jin Zhu said viciously: "The Liu family set up an ambush on the bridge today, yet you just happened to swap masks with someone before getting on the bridge. I have reason to suspect that you knew in advance there was danger on Peony Bridge."

Chen Ji said calmly: "Lord, the idea of swapping masks wasn't proposed by me. Moreover, if I were truly a comrade of the Jing Dynasty thieves, or a comrade of the Liu family, I should have gotten on the bridge together with Lord. The person they wanted to kill was you, not me."

Jin Zhu froze for a moment.Indeed, if Chen Ji was a Jing Dynasty thief, getting on the bridge actually wouldn't be dangerous for him.

However, Jin Zhu steeled his heart: "Today I won't believe anyone! You also shouldn't blame me for being overly suspicious; anyone who narrowly escaped death would suspect everyone around them completely. Again, the same sentence: if I suspect wrongly, I will naturally find a way to make it up to you."

Having said that, he turned his head to look at Meng Ji: "Interrogate him, once the interrogation is over we will know what's going on!"

Meng Ji looked at the messy mud and withered grass all over the ground on the mudflats. Holding his fingers in an orchid mudra, he fanned his hand in front of his nose and said disdainfully: "Do we have to interrogate now? Can't we find a slightly cleaner place?"

Jin Zhu didn't want to wait a single moment. He took off a string of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency from his left wrist and handed it out: "Interrogate!"

Meng Ji received the Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency, carefully sized up the characters engraved on the prayer beads, and only then put it on his wrist, beaming with joy: "Tsk tsk, this price is enough for me to execute a Grade A dream. Boss Jin Zhu is truly generous. Controlling our Secret Spy Division's money bag is indeed highly lucrative."

Having said that, he lifted the hem of his clothes and sat cross-legged on the ground. He gently bit open his finger, drew a talisman with fresh blood, wrapped Shopkeeper Yuan's hair with the talisman paper, and swallowed it.

Chen Ji saw that ball of talisman paper slide down Meng Ji's throat like an egg. Subsequently, Meng Ji's eyes abruptly rolled upward, revealing only the whites of his eyes.

Shopkeeper Yuan, lying on his stomach on the ground, abruptly ceased his curses, becoming exactly the same as Meng Ji, with only the whites of his eyes showing.

Jin Zhu got straight to the point: "What is your post and duty?"

Shopkeeper Yuan's eyes were lifeless: "I am the new Si Cao 'Xin', serving under the command of the Jing Dynasty's Military Strategy Envoy Lu Guanwu, lurking under the identity of the Shopkeeper of Hundred Deer Pavilion, managing all affairs in Luo City."

Jin Zhu asked in a deep voice: "When did you guys re-establish contact with the Liu family? And how did you establish contact?"

Shopkeeper Yuan answered: "The day before yesterday, the Liu family's Zhang Guo'er paid a visit to Hundred Deer Pavilion. The other party said someone infiltrated the Liu family's large mansion without anyone noticing and left a slip of paper, exposing your identities, and had Liu Mingxian seek verification directly from me."

Jin Zhu's expression changed. He glanced at Chen Ji, and then asked solemnly: "Did the Liu family say who left the slip of paper?"

Shopkeeper Yuan answered calmly: "The Liu family also doesn't know."

"The Liu family doesn't know either? The Liu family's large mansion is heavily guarded, how could they not know someone infiltrated," Jin Zhu said in astonishment: "Then do you know?"

This time, Shopkeeper Yuan actually hesitated for a moment: "It should be the Department Head, only the Department Head can possess such vast divine abilities."

Jin Zhu's expression turned stern. Has the Military Intelligence Division's Department Head already arrived in Luo City?

He asked with a heavy voice: "Who is the Department Head? Where is he?"

"I don't know. The Department Head's identity is mysterious. He can only contact me; I have no way to contact him."

Jin Zhu looked at Shopkeeper Yuan, and then looked at Chen Ji. This medical clinic apprentice definitely lacked the capability to infiltrate the Liu family...

He suddenly asked: "Since you manage the affairs in Luo City, then you should know all the spies. I ask you, do you know Chen Ji?"

Shopkeeper Yuan slightly frowned: "Who is Chen Ji?"

"It's that kid who was just chasing to kill you!"

"I don't know him."

Jin Zhu was unwilling to give up: "Isn't he a spy of your Jing Dynasty?"

"No."

Jin Zhu was left speechless.

He had been suspecting Chen Ji was a Jing Dynasty spy every day, but if even the Military Intelligence Division Si Cao who managed all affairs in Luo City said Chen Ji wasn't, what the hell was he still suspecting?

...

...

Under the shadows of the willow trees by the river, Old Yao hugged Wu Yun in his embrace, silently watching and gazing below the river embankment.

Wu Yun was somewhat puzzled: "Why did Chen Ji risk his life to chase and kill Shopkeeper Yuan, they don't seem to have any enmity."

Old Yao snickered: "That kid is most likely coveting the ginseng in the other party's storehouse... What kind of good person would trick a shopkeeper out and kill him just to scheme for the ginseng in his medicinal herb shop?"

However, right at this moment.

Old Yao pondered for a moment: "Wait, the slip of paper he previously had you deliver to the Liu family said 'The Department Head is an imposter, you may seek verification from the shopkeeper of Hundred Deer Pavilion.' Actually, he only needed to write 'The Department Head is an imposter' to sufficiently pith Jin Zhu, why bother dragging in this Hundred Deer Pavilion shopkeeper."

Wu Yun said: "This I know!"

"Oh?"

Wu Yun explained: "Chen Ji said Jin Zhu is suspicious by nature. He needed to find a witness who could testify 'I am not a Jing Dynasty spy' for himself, and the best candidate for this witness was exactly that Shopkeeper Yuan of Hundred Deer Pavilion."

Old Yao was silent.

Indeed, what other witness could be more persuasive than a Jing Dynasty Military Intelligence Division Si Cao?

Was Chen Ji a Jing Dynasty spy? Yes.

Did Hundred Deer Pavilion's Shopkeeper Yuan know Chen Ji's identity? He truly didn't know.

No wonder Chen Ji chased Shopkeeper Yuan as if his life depended on it; he was worried his witness would run away.

Old Yao smiled: "Chen Ji's abacus calculation is quite loud, but he probably couldn't predict the extent to which that kid Jin Zhu's suspicion could reach. Let's just watch and see."

...

...

At this time, with his hands behind his back, Jin Zhu paced back and forth around Shopkeeper Yuan: "How could it possibly not be so? Hey, Meng Ji, is this dream of yours reliable or not?"

Meng Ji slowly opened his eyes and sneered: "If you doubt it, then simply don't invite me. Inviting me yet not believing me, what is the meaning of this? Even the Inner Chancellor has never doubted me, are you more formidable than the Inner Chancellor?"

Jin Zhu said irritably: "Forget about all that, continue interrogating Chen Ji!"

Meng Ji tidied his sideburns: "You have to think this through carefully. I've already interrogated this kid once before, and that time it was already confirmed he isn't a Jing Dynasty spy. I advise you to rein in your suspicious nature, don't waste money."

Jin Zhu took off another string of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency from his right wrist: "Interrogate!"

Meng Ji let out a twisting "Yo": "Not planning to live out your days anymore? Just to interrogate such a medical clinic apprentice, you actually emptied out your family assets?"

Chen Ji frowned and said: "Lord Jin Zhu, even this Jing Dynasty Si Cao said I am not a spy, yet You still suspect me? Must you forcibly pin the crime onto my head before You are satisfied?"

Jin Zhu smiled without the smile reaching his eyes: "True gold fears no fire. If you truly have no problems, then cut a lock of hair for Meng Ji to prove your innocence."

Saying that, he handed the short blade to Chen Ji.

In the center of the river, Tian Ma stood proudly on the bow of the boat, coldly gazing at the riverbank. Chen Ji stared at Jin Zhu for a long time, ultimately taking the short blade and cutting off a lock of hair.

Meng Ji drew a new talisman, wrapped Chen Ji's hair with the talisman paper, and swallowed it.

The next moment, Chen Ji felt a wave of drowsiness hit him.

In a trance, Chen Ji returned back to the study of the Zhou residence.

With a boom, the twenty-six furnace fires within his body ignited and burned.

Chen Ji remembered that this was how he had recovered his sanity last time. He could only gamble that it would work this time as well.

Wait.

Chen Ji suddenly felt somewhat strange: he hadn't lost his sanity at all this time.

He remembered that he was Chen Ji, and also remembered that he was currently being interrogated. It clearly wasn't like this last time!

Right within this dreamscape, a grand voice pierced through the firmament like a copper bell: "Are you a Jing Dynasty spy?"

Chen Ji answered: "No."

"Were you the one who delivered the slip of paper to the Liu family?"

"No."

"Do you know who delivered the slip of paper to the Liu family?"

"I don't know."

"Did you know that the Liu family would set an ambush tonight?"

"I didn't know."

Jin Zhu went silent and didn't ask anymore questions.

Chen Ji was incomparably surprised in his heart. This was too strange. He originally thought all matters rested on whether he could bet his life, but the reality was, he didn't need to be bound by this dreamscape at all.

Was it because he had already resolved the dream once last time, so he would never be controlled by Meng Ji again?

Or were there other hidden factors?

Outside the dreamscape, Jin Zhu's voice suddenly asked again: "Do you know who was the person who used firearms to blast me last time?"

Chen Ji answered: "I don't know."

Jin Zhu said: "Alright, there's nothing else to interrogate."

Only at this time did Meng Ji slowly walk into the Zhou residence's study, asking with great interest: "Kid, what kind of dog-shit luck did you stumble into to gain the favor of that Lord?"

Chen Ji frowned: "Who?"

Meng Ji froze: "Truly someone who stumbled into dog-shit luck, to actually know nothing at all. How boring."

The dreamscape abruptly dissipated, and the world of the Zhou residence gradually faded. Chen Ji once again heard the sound of the flowing Luo River, and saw the flickering firelight in the distance.

He subconsciously looked at Meng Ji, only to see the other party wasn't looking at him. Meng Ji merely stood up, patted off the dust, and unhurriedly said: "Alright, I've asked what needed to be asked. Can I return to Kaifeng Prefecture now? The day after tomorrow, Society Head Yunhai is setting up a stage to sing opera in Kaifeng Prefecture. It's said the performance will be 'Stabilizing Mount Dingjun'. I really don't want to miss it."

Jin Zhu was silent for a long time: "You may, thank you for your hard work."

Meng Ji said disdainfully: "Our Secret Spy Division hasn't even caught a spy of the Si Cao level yet. Having clearly picked up such a heaven-splashing merit, why do you still have a profoundly worried and sad expression? How uninteresting! I'm leaving!"

Having said that, he glanced at Chen Ji with profound meaning, turned around, and walked towards the river embankment.

Under the shadows of a willow tree in the distance, Old Yao smilingly rubbed Wu Yun's head: "The commotion is over, we should also go home."

Wu Yun froze for a moment: "Master, were you truly just watching the commotion?"

"Otherwise?"

"I thought you would help him..."

Old Yao snickered: "On what basis should I help him? I am an old man who doesn't care about those dog-shit messy meddlesome affairs of his!"

(End of Chapter)