Green Mountain-Chapter 586 - 443: Undercurrents Surge (End of Volume Six)

Scallion oil noodles were made quickly.

Chen Ji lowered his head to eat his noodles, another bowl sat steaming opposite him, yet he seemed completely unconcerned.

After a moment, someone sat opposite him: "Not hiding anymore?"

Chen Ji wiped his mouth and looked up at the other side: "Lord Si Cao, when have I ever hidden? Have some hot soup noodles, warm yourself a bit."

Si Caogui didn’t touch the noodles on the table, his face under the bamboo hat expressionless: "How did you become an Executive Officer?"

Chen Ji casually replied: "Taught by Doctor Yao at Taiping Medical Hall."

Si Caogui said earnestly: "So, is it true what the Crown Prince said in his report that you killed over a hundred Heavenly Strategy Army soldiers? Do you think you’ve picked a tumultuous tavern and I wouldn’t dare kill you?"

Chen Ji retorted: "Lord Si Cao, can an Executive Officer in the Innate Realm kill so many Heavenly Strategy Army soldiers?"

This moment was bound to come sooner or later, instead of hiding, it was better to find a solution.

But Chen Ji had prepared a belly full of excuses and explanations, only to hear Si Caogui calmly say: "An Innate Realm can’t possibly do it, I believe you... Now, there’s one more big matter to handle."

Chen Ji’s heart tightened.

That’s not right.

Si Caogui is definitely not the type to easily give up suspicion, yet now after a casual explanation, he chose to believe?

He doesn’t actually believe him, but there must be a reason to keep him.

Is it because of his uncle that Si Caogui dares not really kill him, or is it for some other reason?

Chen Ji calmly asked: "What big matter?"

Si Caogui calmly said: "The Jing Dynasty Envoy has probably already departed from Shangjing City, carrying a hefty price to exchange for Yuan Cheng, we mustn’t let Yuan Cheng leave alive. We either kill the envoy or Yuan Cheng."

Chen Ji realized that Si Caogui still didn’t know he was going to serve as Night Patrol outside Chongli Pass, Long Whale probably hasn’t had the chance to leave the palace yet.

He thought for a while and said: "Today, because of bumping into the Imperial Guard, I’ve been demoted to serve as Night Patrol in a border town, afraid I can’t help much."

"Night Patrol?" Si Caogui mused: "That’s perfect, find a way to intercept the envoy and kill them outside Chongli Pass."

Chen Ji frowned: "How can an Executive Officer in the Innate Realm kill an envoy team? There must be a Seeking Dao Realm expert among them."

Si Caogui stood up, speaking meaningfully: "You managed to return alive from the Five Mad Soldiers, naturally, you’ll find a way."

With that, he didn’t give Chen Ji a chance to oppose, turned and walked out of the tavern, merging into the crowd outside.

Chen Ji moved the untouched noodles in front of him and quickly finished them. Rising to leave, he saw Huang Que drinking alone in a corner. The scholar from the south, after rejecting marriage into the Qi family, unsurprisingly failed his exam a third time.

It seemed to echo Shen Ye’s words penned on Andingmen Avenue: Studied for twenty years, wasted thirty years, the evening drum still sounds harsh, three thousand miles rushed about, too many useless scholars.

Huang Que, eyes red, lay on the table, mumbling to himself, as Chen Ji shook his head and walked out.

After some time, Huang Que murmured while lying on the table: "It’s my stubbornness, always seeing the favor of the red gate as a sword..."

The words were from the Four Dreams of Bianliang, remembered till this day.

As he murmured, someone lightly sat in front of him, pushed a silk box toward him, and said leisurely: "Young Master Huang Que, someone tasked me to give this to you, said it’ll be useful to you."

Huang Que, drowsy and drunk, said: "Did Zhaoyun send you? Can’t be, can’t be, she’s going to become a Princess, she shouldn’t have any connection with this mud like me."

The person opposite the table chuckled: "Young Master Huang Que, Qi Zhaoyun, Second Miss Qi couldn’t possibly send me, farewell."

In a daze, Huang Que opened the silk box, inside was a blue book, titled "Living Sacrifice."

He casually flipped through a few pages, and upon seeing the content, abruptly sobered up. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

When he looked up to find the person who gave him this Cultivation Path, there was no one in front of the table.

Huang Que chased out of the tavern, surveying the long street.

But between the bluish stone long street and the buildings, only the bustling prosperity of the Imperial Capital remained, the turbulent undercurrent under the lamplight was nowhere to be seen.

...

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Volume Six, Curtain Fall, End.