Chapter 551 A Promise Worth a Thousand Pieces of Gold
Before we knew it, it was midnight.
The entire city of Daxing was shrouded in night. The crisscrossing paths and rows of buildings resembled a silent and exquisite bonsai, and the people inside were like ants crawling in the bonsai.
However, due to the plague and the ban, not many people dare to go out at night like this.
In the stillness, a soft sound of hooves and wheels broke the silence. A carriage slowly made its way down the long street, two lanterns hanging on either side of the roof, swaying gently. The dim light illuminated a man holding the reins in one hand and the whip in the other, driving the carriage while glancing anxiously at the handsome face ahead.
It was Pei Xingyuan.
Although he was a young master from a prominent family, he was quite adept at driving a carriage. As he drove, he craned his neck to look ahead, where he had arranged to meet Jin Daji that night.
North Gate of East Market.
The East Market, also known as the Metropolitan Market, is the most bustling and prosperous market in the eastern part of Daxing City. Goods from all over the country gather here, and many foreigners and merchants from the Western Regions also come here to do business. As a result, the spices and jewelry here are world-famous. If it weren't for these troubles at hand, Pei Xingyuan would love to visit this place the most.
But right now, he had no mood for it at all. After all, the entire metropolitan area had been closed the day after the plague broke out. It was pitch black ahead, without a single ray of light. Only the two lanterns on the carriage could barely illuminate the huge lanterns hanging on both sides of the north gate.
However, the person who made the appointment was nowhere to be found.
Pei Xingyuan couldn't help but frown and mutter, "That kid isn't just making fun of me, is he?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a slender figure emerged from behind the lantern.
Pei Xingyuan was startled and quickly pulled on the reins. The horse pulling the carriage shook its head and stopped immediately. The lanterns swayed incessantly, their flickering light illuminating the short man, who was none other than Jin Daji, whom he had agreed to meet tonight.
In the dim light, those black bean-like eyes actually looked brighter than during the day.
He looked at Pei Xingyuan and smiled, "Young Master Pei actually drove here by himself?"
Pei Xingyuan raised an eyebrow: "What, can I bring a coachman?"
"..."
"Why didn't you say so earlier? If I could have brought it, I would have done so long ago. Why would I have needed to drive it myself?"
Jin Daji laughed and said, "Young Master Pei's word is as good as gold."
Pei Xingyuan laughed and said, "This young master is not only a man of his word, but also a man of his promises."
Jin Daji's eyes gleamed. Even though only two lanterns on the carriage roof could barely illuminate his figure, the deep darkness around him could not conceal the shrewd and greedy light emanating from his small eyes.
He laughed and said, "Since Young Master Pei keeps his word, then let me see what this 'thousand gold' is all about."
Pei Xingyuan smiled and reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver note. With a single gesture, he held it up to the lantern above his head. The light shone through the note, revealing two five-hundred-tael silver notes!
Jin Daji's eyes shone even brighter in the night.
The next moment, Pei Xingyuan withdrew his hand, stuffed the silver note back into his pocket, and said with a smile, "Now, can we go?"
"..."
"Once we get there and see the medicine, I'll give it to you immediately."
Jin Daji stared at him for a while, then smiled and said, "Of course."
After saying that, he waved his hand.
A series of heavy footsteps approached, and several tall, dark figures emerged from the darkness behind him. Upon closer inspection, they turned out to be several burly men, all dressed in black and with full beards. No wonder they had been hidden in the darkness and could not be seen earlier; even now, as they drew nearer, they seemed like a black wall that had suddenly appeared before him.
Looking at them, Pei Xingyuan's breath hitched, and his hands gripping the reins tensed, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.
But with a composed smile on his face, he said, "What—what do you want?!"
Jin Daji smiled and said, "Young Master Pei, there's no need to be nervous."
"..."
"These are all my brothers. I had them guarding this place because I was afraid that Young Master Pei might try something funny. Now it seems that Young Master Pei is a man of his word, and I was the one who was being petty."
"..."
Pei Xingyuan's lips twitched slightly.
But his face still held a composed smile, though his voice trembled slightly when he spoke.
He laughed and said, "I thought you were going to kill me."
When he said those words, his heart was even a little erratic.
Recalling the last words Shen Wuzheng said at the Shen family during the day, which shocked him greatly, he was at a loss for what to do. After all, even if he had not experienced Guanghan Ke's methods firsthand, he had witnessed them. Even someone like Yuwen Ye had almost lost his life at the hands of that person several times.
It is evident that this person is cunning and ruthless.
Finally, Yuwen Ye, who had been silent all along, spoke up.
He said, "If you don't go, I won't blame you; if you do go, I will protect you."
Pei Xingyuan kept emphasizing that this time victory was achieved through perilous means because he himself understood that there would definitely be danger tonight. But upon hearing Yuwen Ye's words and seeing Shen Wuzheng's seemingly distant yet undisguisedly concerned eyes, he felt a surge of heroic spirit and finally slammed his hand on the table: "I'll go!"
That's why we're here tonight.
However, he did feel a lingering fear just now.
Jin Daji laughed as well, and led the burly men closer, saying, "Young Master Pei, you flatter us. We are only after money; we have no reason to kill."
After saying that, he got into the carriage, took the reins and whip from Pei Xingyuan, and sat down in his seat. Pei Xingyuan understood and immediately moved to the side.
Jin Daji lightly flicked his whip, and the carriage immediately sped forward.
The burly men in black around them naturally followed on both sides of the carriage. However, as they left the north gate of the East Market and walked in, Pei Xingyuan subconsciously glanced back and found that one of the burly men in black had stayed where he was, motionless.
Pei Xingyuan was taken aback: "That person—"
As Jin Daji drove the carriage, he said with a smile, "He stayed there."
"Why?"
"Tonight's events must be kept secret, so let him stay there to prevent anyone from following us."
"..."
Pei Xingyuan's expression froze. He hadn't expected that the other party would resort to such a method to avoid being followed. You see, although this method seemed clumsy, sometimes the clumsiest methods are the most effective. In the darkness of night, it would be difficult for the people in the carriage to detect if someone wanted to follow them, but leaving people on the way they came would definitely alert anyone, whether it was a person or a carriage, if they wanted to pass by.
Pei Xingyuan turned back again, looking at the North Gate and the tall, strong figure that were gradually disappearing into the distance. After a long while, he managed a weak smile and said, "You guys are really careful."
As Jin Daji drove the carriage, he laughed and said, "There's no other way."
"..."
"Young Master Pei should also understand that now, not only the two of us, nor only the imperial court, but the entire population of Daxing City is watching this medicine closely. If we are not careful—"
Pei Xingyuan looked at him: "How is it?"
Jin Daji suddenly chuckled and said, "I'm afraid the number of people who die from this will be more than the number who die from the plague!"
"...!"
Pei Xingyuan's eyes flickered slightly in the pitch-black night.
After a moment, he smiled and said, "Is that so?"
As they spoke, the carriage had already left the North Gate, and even the faint light emitted by the swaying lanterns was gradually swallowed up by the deep, inky night.
Meanwhile, in another ward not far from the metropolitan area, in a small alley...
Yuwen Ye, dressed in black, stood against the wall, motionless as if still resting with his eyes closed. Yet his lean body exuded strength, like a leopard ready to hunt in the night, radiating power and agility.
Several men followed behind him, leading horses that were bitten and had their hooves covered with cloth, so they made no sound.
Everyone remained quietly dormant here, not even a cough or a gasp could be heard.
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps came running over.
Yuwen Ye immediately opened his eyes. In the darkness, his eyes, which were sharp yet restrained, shone exceptionally brightly. The person who rushed in was none other than Mu Xian, who was also dressed in black but looked somewhat nervous.
He said, "Young master."
Yuwen Ye asked, "How is it?"
Mu Xian said in a deep voice, "The other side left someone at the North Gate of the East Market. Our people couldn't keep up and have lost them."
"Lost them?"
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye frowned slightly. However, he did not become angry, but only said in a deep voice, "What about the people we arranged on the other routes?"
Mu Xian said breathlessly, "The other side brought quite a few people, and they left one person at each intersection after walking a certain distance, so the people we arranged on those roads can no longer move."
"oh?"
Yuwen Ye raised an eyebrow slightly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.
What a stupid idea!
However, in such situations, the more cumbersome the method, the more direct it becomes, sometimes even completely blocking their path.
Just as Shen Wuzheng had said, they had thought deeply, and the other side had thought deeply as well.
So now—
Upon hearing Mu Xian's words, the guards behind Yuwen Ye became somewhat nervous and stepped forward one after another, asking, "Second Young Master, what should we do next?"
"Should we just follow them directly?"
"If we do that, we'll definitely alert them, and tonight's operation will be completely exposed."
"But if we don't follow, what if Young Master Pei—"
Hearing them say this, Mu Xian's expression became even more conflicted. As Yuwen Ye's personal guards, they naturally obeyed his orders. However, Pei Xingyuan was Yuwen Ye's close friend, and they had known each other for quite some time. This Second Young Master Pei was approachable and loyal. Even though he wasn't their subordinate, they still had considerable affection for him.
If we really ignore it, wouldn't that be letting him fall into danger?
Mu Xian held his breath, staring intently at Yuwen Ye, as if waiting for him to pronounce some verdict.
After a brief exchange of explanations, which seemed to last an eternity to those around them, Yuwen Ye suddenly asked, "Didn't they leave the East Market?"
Mu Xian nodded: "Yes, their carriages entered the East Market, the warehouse should be inside."
"..."
Yuwen Ye pondered for a while, then suddenly said, "Let's go!"
Mu Xian stared at him with wide eyes: "Second Young Master, are we—abandoning Young Master Pei?"
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