180. Blood Letter
Before the iron gate opened, Chen Ji slipped sideways into the inner prison.
He walked down the narrow steps and asked casually, "Did Lord Bailong bring Prince Jing, the Crown Prince, and the Princess here this morning?"
The jailer followed him and said, "Your Excellency, Prince Jing is being held in Cell A-1, and the Crown Prince and Princess are in Cell A-7, not far away. Your Excellency, Lord Bailong has specifically instructed that no one is allowed to talk to them without permission. Please don't make things difficult for me."
Chen Ji stopped on the stone steps and looked back at the jailer calmly.
The jailer lowered his head, not daring to meet his gaze. After a long pause, he said, "But since Lord Bailong is not here right now, it should be fine for you to have a few words with them."
Chen Ji continued to move forward.
Many people were imprisoned in Prince Jing's Mansion. Along the way, Chunhua, Chunrong, Xibing...when they saw Chen Ji, they screamed heartbreakingly that they were wronged and shouted for help.
When passing through the corridor between the cells, the cold, damp and foul stench from the cells hit my nose.
When passing by cell number 7, Chen Ji looked at the cell in disbelief. The prince's hair was disheveled, and Bai Li's white clothes were covered with dust, like a pearl covered in dust.
How could you be locked up in a place like this?
However, Chen Ji said nothing, just turned his head calmly without stopping.
When the prince saw Chen Ji passing by, he rushed to the cage like a madman, but was held back tightly by Bai Li.
She lowered her head, hiding her expression in her scattered hair, and whispered, "Don't go. Brother, please, don't get him into trouble."
The prince turned around and saw his sister's tears falling one by one into the straw on the ground. He slowly relaxed and sat back on the ground dejectedly, watching Chen Ji pass by the door and disappear.
Chen Ji came to the door of cell No. 1 and saw Prince Jing sitting behind a desk, quietly flipping through a book.
He turned and looked at the jailer: "Is it okay for me to have a few words with Prince Jing?" The jailer was embarrassed.
Chen Ji took out a ten-liang silver ingot from his sleeve and said, "Either accept the silver ingot or wait to die." The jailer hurriedly pocketed the silver and retreated to a distance to keep watch for Prince Jing and Chen Ji.
At this moment, Prince Jing saw Chen Ji coming, smiled and stood up and walked to the edge of the cage: "Why are you here?"
Chen Ji noticed that Prince Jing looked haggard, as if he was on his last legs. "Prince, is it worth it?"
Prince Jing smiled and answered the question irrelevantly: "Chen Ji, do you know that the Ning Dynasty is about to fall?" "Huh?"
Prince Jing clutched the scroll, his gaze passing over the ruins to the end of the long corridor. "In the winter of the eleventh year of Jianing, I led troops to suppress a rebellion, ultimately trapped in Liuzhou. Everyone said they were bandits, but they were actually raised by the Yang family. If Ayi hadn't asked my father-in-law to mediate with the Yang family, I would have died there."
"When Your Majesty first ascended the throne, you sent imperial envoys to inspect the salt supply in Liangjiang. However, the men you sent either colluded with the Xu and Yang families, died in fires at home, or fell overboard on pleasure boats. Thirteen envoys were sent in two years, and seven died. Lord Hai, who once carried the coffin to Your Majesty, was an upright official. He came to Yuzhou to survey the land and demand that the Liu family return the land to the people, but in the end, he had to leave in disgrace."
"Chen Ji, do you know that the soldiers on the border haven't received their wages for three years? How many more three years can they wait? If we can't restore order, the Ning Dynasty will be devastated."
Chen Ji said calmly, "So, the prince and His Majesty have conspired to use extreme means to drag the Liu family into the grave together?"
Prince Jing smiled and said, "The Liu family, the Hu family of the Jin faction, the Xu family and the Yang family of the Xu faction, your Donglin Chen family, and the censors of the Qi faction are always fighting. But once they face the imperial power, they will suddenly unite against the enemy and no one can move. If this extraordinary measure is not used,
The Liu family cannot be eliminated..."
Chen Ji interrupted Prince Jing and said earnestly, "Your Highness, I don't understand what you are going to do, nor do I care. I just think that the Crown Prince and Bai Li shouldn't die with you. They are innocent. Your Highness, they are your children. Please find a way for them to survive."
Prince Jing stood in his cell in silence. He slowly said, "Your Majesty once promised me that Yunxi would inherit the throne of Prince Jing."
Chen Ji suddenly laughed. He grasped the cast iron bars of the cage and stared straight at Prince Jing. "Your Highness, are you so easily convinced? Do you believe it yourself? You're clearly not the type to surrender, yet you were thrown into the inner prison so easily. You've clearly entrusted your orphan to me, which means you knew this would happen! Who are you still plotting against? Your Highness, don't wait any longer. If you wait any longer, Bai Li will die with you!"
Prince Jing studied Chen Ji closely. He bit his finger and wrote a bloody letter on the book. "Send this letter to the Qiansui Army and give it to General Wang, announcing the secret order 'The mountains and rivers are safe.' He will lead his troops to break out of the prison. From now on, are you willing to take Bai Li with you into the martial arts world, hiding your identity and protecting her?"
After that, he tore the page from the book and handed it over.
Chen Ji extended his hand, but Prince Jing retracted it: "You haven't answered me yet." Chen Ji took a deep breath and said: "Yes."
He pulled the paper from Prince Jing's hand, stuffed it into his arms, and walked out. Prince Jing suddenly said from behind him, "Chen Ji, I'm sorry."
Chen Ji was stunned for a moment and looked back: "What does Your Highness mean?" Prince Jing smiled but did not answer. He waved his hand to signal him to leave quickly.
Chen Ji touched his chest and felt that the blood letter hidden inside was as heavy as a thousand pounds. If he wanted to save the prince and the princess, he could not do it alone and he must have the help of the Qiansui Army.
In the dim corridor of the inner prison, he stopped when passing cell number 7 and looked inside silently.
Bai Li originally lowered her head, but when she heard the footsteps were still moving, she couldn't help but raise her head and look at Chen Ji.
Chen Ji looked away slightly and said, "Don't be afraid. Everything will be fine."
Before Bai Li could respond, the iron gate creaked in front of them, and Bai Long's masked voice rang out, "Go to Yingxian Tower at noon and order a table of food. Although Prince Jing is imprisoned here, he is still a powerful vassal king with great prestige in our dynasty. Don't neglect his food and daily necessities..."
Chen Ji hurriedly left the door of Baili's cell.
In the narrow corridor, Bailong and Yunyang were approaching, leaving Chen Ji with no way to avoid them.
Bai Long looked him up and down: "Are you here to visit Prince Jing and the princess?" Chen Ji said nothing.
Bai Long said with great interest, "Don't worry. Visiting friends is human nature. I would be surprised if you were so determined not to come. It's also written in our dynasty's laws that protecting one's relatives is not a crime."
Chen Ji said softly, "Master Bailong is magnanimous, and I admire you."
Bai Long changed the subject, "But young man, you must understand that first, you and these people are only friends, not family. Secondly, the crime of treason is not covered by the law of concealing the crime among relatives. If you shield someone who is plotting treason, you will be guilty regardless of whether you are a friend or relative."
Chen Ji quickly clasped his fists and said, "I understand."
Bai Long laughed heartily. "In my Secret Service, you must understand that feelings are feelings and duties are duties. You are a smart person, and I believe you can distinguish clearly. Now that Concubine Yun is still on the run, if you can't find her, you will all be in trouble. Go ahead."
Chen Ji clasped his fists and said, "I understand."
He hurried past Bai Long with his head lowered, but Yun Yang suddenly grabbed his arm and said, "Wait."
Chen Ji slowly turned his head and asked: "Master Yunyang, what are your instructions?"
? "
Yun Yang smiled and said, "I heard that the imperial edict for your and Xi Feng's promotions has arrived. I'm here to congratulate you in advance."
Chen Ji was startled. "Thank you, Master Yunyang. I'll go do my work now."
He broke free from Yunyang's hand and walked straight out of the inner prison. Only after he was out of the inner prison and smelled the fresh air did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Chen Ji rode his horse as fast as he could with the blood letter in his arms. The Qiansui Army camp was eighty miles south of Luo City. When he arrived at the camp, the horse under him was sweating profusely and foaming at the mouth.
Time waits for no one.
Someone from the main camp's arrow tower shouted, "Stop! If you move forward, you'll be shot with arrows!"
Chen Ji reined in the reins, his warhorse pacing wearily back and forth in front of the camp gate. He shouted, "The mountains and rivers are safe! I have something important to discuss with General Wang!"
When the soldier on the arrow tower heard "The mountains and rivers are safe", he immediately raised a black flag and waved it towards the depths of the camp.
A moment later, the camp gate was opened and General Wang came in alone, striding forward. He looked at Chen Ji's warhorse and frowned, "It's you! Where are you from? Why are you pushing your warhorse like this?"
Chen Ji jumped off his horse, took out a blood letter from his bosom and handed it to the other party: "This is a blood letter written by the prince. Please open it yourself, General Wang."
General Wang took the letter and unfolded it, his expression changing: "Has the prince been imprisoned by the eunuchs?"
"That's right."
General Wang frowned for a long time, then looked up at Chen Ji. "The south gate of Luocheng is heavily guarded. We need to change into civilian clothes and sneak into the city in batches as tenants. Young man, you go back first. Meet us at the gate of Tuoluo Temple at midnight tonight and lead us to the inner prison!"
Chen Ji looked straight at General Wang and said, "No, I will go with the Qiansui Army. I will not feel at ease unless I see the Qiansui Army march with my own eyes."
General Wang thought for a moment and said, "Alright, you go to the central camp and rest for a while. I'll call the troops!" Chen Ji shook his head and said, "I'll wait here. I'm not going anywhere."
"Young man, you are a cautious person," General Wang said helplessly, shouting to rally his troops. Within the space of an incense stick, the Qiansui Army's camp surged with footsteps like thunder. Thousands of soldiers crossed the parade grounds, forming a mighty battle formation.
It was not until this moment that Chen Ji felt a little relieved.
He moved to the side to avoid occupying the position in the army formation, but when he turned around, General Wang beside him had disappeared.
Chen Ji was startled. He grabbed a lieutenant and asked, "Where is your General Wang?"
The lieutenant frowned, "General Wang, go and do your thing. Who are you, and why are you here in my Qiansui Army camp?"
Chen Ji angrily asked, "Let me ask you, do you know why General Wang summoned you?"
The lieutenant general said, "The command flag only asked us to conduct routine training, but did not specify what it was about." Chen Ji's heart sank into the abyss little by little. He turned around and saw the back of General Wang riding a fast horse, galloping out of the military camp alone!
No wonder Bai Long didn't search himself just now. It turned out that the other party didn't care at all. Even if Prince Jing really passed some news to the outside world, the news would come back to Bai Long.
Chen Ji grabbed the lieutenant and roared, "Prince Jing is currently imprisoned in the inner prison. I brought him a letter in blood and begged General Wang for help, but General Wang has now escaped on his own!"
The lieutenant general was a little surprised: "The prince's blood letter? Where's the blood letter?"
"Of course it's in General Wang's hands!" Chen Ji said fiercely, "Now he's going somewhere with the blood letter. Quickly follow me to Luocheng."
The lieutenant slowly calmed down and retreated: "Come here, this man is a remnant of the Liu family, capture him!"
Chen Ji felt a chill on his back.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
