Chapter 19: Wrong Cut

The winding streets and alleys of Luocheng were like the palm lines of the city.

The Liu family's pursuit party, hunting Chen Ji and his companions, had split into five divisions. Like a closing hand, they squeezed the very air of the city into a dense, palpable tension.

Spies darted through the shadows between buildings; hundreds of paces behind them followed the Liu family, carrying clubs and hoisting high torches.

Jiaotu glanced back at Chen Ji at the end of the line, then turned to Yun Yang. "Do you trust that kid? If he fails to find the evidence, we'll miss our chance to leave Luocheng tonight."

"We have no choice but to trust him now," Yun Yang said solemnly. "If we don't find the evidence tonight, we won't even make it past the Main Punishment Bureau."

Jiaotu said nonchalantly, "The Grand Secretary won't actually do anything to us. We're still useful; at worst, we'll just have to kill a few more people for him."

"There are good people and bad people under the Grand Secretary's command, but there are no fools. If we mess this up, there will be no place for us in the Secret Intelligence Bureau... Perhaps this kid really can find the evidence?"

Jiaotu said in a low voice, "Let's hope so. If he can't find it, we'll fight our way back to the capital to plead with Bailong. We can't let ourselves fall into the hands of the Main Punishment Bureau."

As she spoke, she looked back at Chen Ji again.

The young apprentice was panting heavily at the rear of the group, his hair soaked with sweat, and the cloth covering his face was drenched, yet he refused to take it off.

"The kid's constitution isn't bad; he's actually keeping up with the spies," Jiaotu remarked with admiration.

A spy from the Secret Intelligence Bureau, if picked at random and placed in the 'Wan Sui Army,' would be the elite of the elite. Thus, no matter how disheveled Chen Ji looked, keeping pace with them was no small feat.

At this moment, Chen Ji felt a change within his body. Whenever his strength reached its limit, the three furnace fires beside his dantian would continuously surge with warm currents, sustaining his run.

The furnace fires washed over him like a torrent, guiding his body through a mysterious metamorphosis.

It was as if a rusted sword was being scrubbed clean of its decay.

As they passed through Changning Street, the sounds of shouting and fighting behind them drew closer. Yun Yang said in a heavy voice, "The Liu family knows Luocheng better than we do. They are taking shortcuts to surround us. If we keep fleeing like this, we will definitely be caught."

"What do we do?" Jiaotu asked.

"Sacrifice the pawns to save the king."

Passing a small courtyard, Yun Yang commanded, "Qi Wan, take everyone and lead the Liu family toward the west. You'll be credited with a great service!"

The black-clad spy named Qi Wan whispered, "Understood. The rest of you, follow me!"

Standing by the courtyard wall, Chen Ji watched the retreating backs of the spies in silence. Yun Yang and Jiaotu had already vaulted into the small courtyard; seeing him hesitating, they poked their heads out from behind the gray tiles. "What are you standing there for?!"

"Coming!" Chen Ji leaped forcefully, grabbing Yun Yang's outstretched hand and scrambling clumsily into the yard.

The three stood behind the wall, pressing against the plaster, holding their breath to listen to the commotion outside.

They heard the dense, chaotic sound of footsteps passing by, and voices shouting, "We must not let them escape Luocheng! We must avenge the Old Master!"

They were so close that only a single wall separated them; Chen Ji could even smell the scent of burning torches outside. The smell was a mixture of cedar bark and pine resin—dry and crackling.

A massive crowd surged toward the direction the spies had taken. Only when silence returned to the street did Chen Ji dare to breathe. "Will the spies survive?"

Yun Yang glanced at him. "In chaotic times, life and death are matters of fate. It is the same for you, the same for them, and the same for Jiaotu and me. Back when we were mere fledgling spies, we were abandoned countless times."

Jiaotu said, "Stop the nonsense. Let's move."

By the time the three climbed back out of the courtyard, the streets were deserted. They headed east, but stopped at the very first intersection.

Yun Yang narrowed his eyes at the other side of the bluestone road. Dozens of Yulong Guards, led by Lin Chaoqing, sat mounted on their horses, waiting quietly—as if they were destined to find their prey at the first possible moment.

The Main Punishment Bureau was to the east; the Secret Intelligence Bureau was to the west. They watched each other from a distance without speaking, both sides lingering in the shadows, waiting for the other to make the first move.

The Yulong Guards wore straw raincoats and bamboo hats, their hands resting on the hilts of the blades at their waists. The sense of oppression hit them like a mountain.

In the silence, Lin Chaoqing spurred his horse forward, slowly approaching Yun Yang.

His expression was hidden beneath his hat, making him unreadable. "We both serve in the Directorate of Ceremonial; we are colleagues. We have no wish to see the Secret Intelligence Bureau brought down by civil officials. Letting you leave just now was an opportunity. An hour has passed—do you have the evidence now?"

Yun Yang remained silent, his expression grim. This was no longer a situation that could be bluffed away.

"It seems you still do not," Lin Chaoqing said, pressing his warhorse forward. "Apprehend them..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a noisy commotion from the distance: "Liang Mao'er! Where are you taking me on your back? Lady Yan'er is still waiting for me in the Red Curtain district!"

"Brother, the Liu family seems angry! We have to hurry and kill those eunuch faction members, otherwise your wine money will run out, and your medicinal herbs for cultivation will be cut off too!"

"What! My wine money?"

"Brother, the medicine is more important!"

Both the Main Punishment Bureau and the Secret Intelligence Bureau looked to the left simultaneously, only to see a chubby young man running toward them, carrying a drunken middle-aged man on his back.

The middle-aged man's robes were flung open, hanging loosely on his body, his head lolling crookedly against the young man's shoulder. He was disheveled and slovenly, save for the blade at his waist, which looked exceptionally well-maintained and exquisite.

The moment Lin Chaoqing saw him, he pulled on his reins, causing all the Yulong Guards to come to a halt.

Jiaotu whispered, "It's Liang Gou'er."

The crowd watched the pair—one fat, one thin—in silence. Amidst the eerie quiet, Liang Mao'er approached, cursing under his breath.

As they passed the intersection, the chubby Liang Mao'er finally noticed the Main Punishment Bureau and the Secret Intelligence Bureau lurking in the shadows. He froze, too terrified to even breathe, his flesh wobbling.

"Brother, brother, wake up! I think I see them!" Liang Mao'er said.

Liang Gou'er opened his eyes blearily. "Found the eunuch faction?"

Sweat beaded on Liang Mao'er's forehead. He desperately wanted to drop Liang Gou'er and run. He lowered his voice, "Brother, they can hear you..."

Liang Gou'er turned his gaze toward Lin Chaoqing. Seeing the orderly straw raincoats and bamboo hats, he exclaimed joyfully, "A whole line of straw raincoats and bamboo hats—they really are the eunuch faction! But we mustn't offend anyone. Remember to tell the Liu family when we get back: I've drawn my blade..."

In an instant, Liang Gou'er, still on his brother's back, hooked his middle and index fingers around his hilt and gave it a light flick.

With a *clang*, the long blade unsheathed.

A magnificent flash of blade-light slashed toward Lin Chaoqing. Before anyone could react, the blade was already back in its scabbard.

With a *crack*, the bamboo hat atop Lin Chaoqing's head split in two and fell to the ground, revealing his sharp, resolute features. The mid-air strike was masterful; the blade-qi stopped immediately after shattering the hat, leaving Lin Chaoqing's face completely unscathed.

The long street fell silent; everyone was stunned into thoughtlessness by the scene.

Liang Mao'er looked at the Main Punishment Bureau on the right, then at the Secret Intelligence Bureau on the left. "Brother... you cut the wrong people..."

"Huh?" Liang Gou'er squinted at the Secret Intelligence Bureau, then looked back at Lin Chaoqing.

Lin Chaoqing sat motionless on his horse, his voice cold. "Liang Gou'er, open your dog eyes and see who I am."

"Ah!"

The next second, Liang Gou'er scrambled off Liang Mao'er's back and crawled toward Lin Chaoqing's horse, offering a fawning smile. "Is this not Commander Lin? My apologies, my apologies! It's all the Liu family's fault. I told them I wanted to drink in Red Clothing Alley, but they insisted I come here to strike you!"

Lin Chaoqing lashed his whip against Liang Gou'er's shoulder. "I won't make things difficult for you today. Get lost."

"Yes, yes, yes! I'm going!" With that, Liang Gou'er actually rolled to the side.

Lin Chaoqing looked up toward the opposite side.

By then, Yun Yang, Jiaotu, and Chen Ji had long since vanished from the street.

"Pursue them. They won't get far."

Dozens of Yulong Guards spurred their horses after them. Only then did Liang Gou'er stagger to his feet. Liang Mao'er walked over sympathetically to brush the dust off him. "Brother, why do you have to take such nonsense from them?"

Liang Gou'er chuckled, gathering his messy hair with a hairpin. "Mao'er, wasn't I brilliant just now? I skillfully defused a crisis!"

Liang Mao'er muttered aggrievedly, "Not brilliant at all!"

"Come on, the job is done. Let's go back to drinking!"

"I'm not drinking! You've had enough, you shouldn't drink anymore!"

Liang Gou'er: "I haven't had enough... *urgh*!"

...

...

"The Main Punishment Bureau's noses are too sharp. How do they find us everywhere?" Jiaotu complained.

Yun Yang carried Chen Ji over one shoulder, sprinting as he spoke. "They call us the Grand Secretary's hounds. We are the hawks, and they are the dogs. The Main Punishment Bureau is famous for its sense of smell; they could drag you out even if you hid at the ends of the earth."

As he ran, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Jiaotu said in surprise, "You're injured? Let me carry him."

"I had a brief clash with Lin Chaoqing just now. It's fine, a light wound," Yun Yang said. "The kid is a man, why would you carry him... We're here!"

Arriving before a residence sealed with official notices, Yun Yang dropped Chen Ji. "This is the place. Move fast, the Main Punishment Bureau will be here any moment!"

Chen Ji stepped forward, tore off the seal, and pushed the vermilion doors open with all his might. He bypassed the rockeries and fish ponds, hurrying inside. "Where is the study?"

"At the very end!"

From a distance, the sound of galloping hooves could be heard, thundering like drums!

Inside the study, Chen Ji began pulling books from the shelves. Each one was merely glanced at under the moonlight before being tossed to the floor, exactly as he had done at the Zhou estate!

Yun Yang pulled a fire-starter from his robe to light the candles in the room, holding it up before the bookshelves. He suddenly felt like he was Chen Ji's page boy and felt a flash of irritation, but with disaster looming, he had to endure it.

Yun Yang asked in confusion, "What exactly are you looking for? It feels like you're just a headless fly grasping at luck."

Chen Ji replied, "Sometimes, luck is a part of one's strength."

As he spoke, the sound of hooves stopped outside the door. They heard the rustle of straw raincoats and the creak of saddles—the Main Punishment Bureau was breaking in!

Jiaotu's expression darkened. Her lithe, petite figure blocked the doorway as she gripped a short blade at her waist.

Facing the incoming Yulong Guards, she said, "The Secret Intelligence Bureau is at a critical moment in capturing spies. If you take one more step, you will die."

However, Lin Chaoqing ignored her threat and continued to press forward. "Break in. Kill anyone who resists."

As the clash became imminent, Jiaotu suddenly drew her short blade and sliced her own brow. At the wound, a mass of black mist seemed poised to erupt.

In the solemn residence, Lin Chaoqing walked forward step by step, his long blade slowly unsheathing. A cold light glinted from beneath his straw raincoat, bone-chilling and sinister.

The burly middle-aged man was like a fierce tiger, his eyes fixed on the crimson wound on Jiaotu's brow, where an inexplicable power seemed to surge.

Lin Chaoqing sneered. "I hold the rank of a fourth-grade official of Great Ning. Do not bring out such petty tricks to make a fool of yourself."

Jiaotu said calmly, "Whether it is a petty trick or not, we shall find out when we try."

Just then, Chen Ji's voice rang out from within the room: "Found it!"

The youth walked out of the room, holding a single scroll in his hand.

(End of Chapter)