CHAPTER 429: 336, SMOKE GRENADE_2

Chen Ji was puzzled, "Wu Xiu has a family background, so why did he enter the palace to serve?"

Qi Zhenzhuo explained, "The Wu family was implicated in a case earlier, and their family fell."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "What case?"

Qi Zhenzhuo lowered his voice, "It was back when the previous emperor was in power. An Imperial Concubine gave birth to a child and bribed the Sacrificial Official Xu Shi of the Observatory with silver to alter the constellations. The Empress Dowager discovered this, resulting in the adult males of the Xu Family being executed, the women exiled to Lingnan, and the unmarried males subjected to palace punishment and dispatched to the Inner Court’s Firewood Store to guard the hunting grounds. The Wu Family got involved somehow, leading to Wu Xiu’s father being exiled to Lingnan, dying on the way, and Wu Xiu being subjected to palace punishment and sent to the Firewood Store."

Chen Ji continued to ponder how to deliver the wooden box to the secretary, ignoring everything else. Whatever Wu Xuange was doing, whether to divide power or to restructure military affairs, it was the Left Brave Guard’s concern, not of the Right Brave Guard where he was.

After thirty minutes, Wu Xuange gathered his men and turned to Lord Li, cupping his fists, "Lord Li, the Yulin Army’s discipline is lax. I need to rectify it immediately; other matters can wait."

Li Xuan paused, "Alright."

Wu Xuange turned towards the Left Brave Guard soldiers, speaking sternly, "From tomorrow, all Left Brave Guard soldiers will move into the Governor Mansion’s barracks, with only three days off each month to leave camp. Becoming a soldier and still longing for the comforts of home every day? The military spirit has dissipated! Additionally, if I find anyone gambling or consorting with prostitutes, they will be immediately expelled from the Yulin Army. Now, replace those shiny armor suits; here, we focus on practicality, never on pretenses."

After speaking, he led over two hundred Yulin Army soldiers to the other side of the training ground.

Qi Zhenzhuo watched Wu Xuange’s back angrily, "Governor, he seems to be intentionally provoking you as if he’s the actual governor of the Yulin Army!"

Li Xuan replied calmly, "Emerging from the Longevity Army, being domineering is normal. Besides, what he’s doing is right; the Yulin Army has indeed been too lax in the past. From today, we must demand strictness upon ourselves."

Qi Zhenzhuo muttered softly, "How come, being a governor, you can only oversee about thirty people? I thought the Yulin Army would be governed by the Qi family henceforth."

Chen Ji suddenly said, "It’s precisely to prevent the Qi family from dominating the Yulin Army that Wu Xuange was urgently transferred here."

Qi Zhenzhuo was stunned, "So that’s the reason!"

Li Xuan kept watching Wu Xuange, seeing him begin training immediately. He deeply inhaled, "Remove armor; our training must not stop, can’t let others surpass us."

...

...

At noon, the Yulin Army halted their training, each soldier collapsed on the training ground, gasping for ten minutes before struggling to stand.

Qi Zhenzhuo walked arm-in-arm with Duobao and others, calling out to Chen Ji, "Master, come, let’s go to Chessboard Street’s Bianyifang Restaurant to eat."

Chen Ji shook his head, "I won’t go; Xiao Man is bringing me food."

Qi Zhenzhuo turned and saw Xiao Man holding a lunch box at the guard post’s entrance, "No way, Master! By the time the food from the Chen Mansion gets here, it’s cold. Without any wok heat, how could it be tasty?"

Chen Ji chuckled, "Saving silver."

Qi Zhenzhuo was stunned, "Master, you lack silver? Didn’t you just raid Wang Huan’s house?"

Chen Ji glanced at him, "It’s merely a craving, as long as I can eat enough."

Qi Zhenzhuo scratched his head, "Alright."

After everyone left, Chen Ji went to the guard post, Xiao Man placing the lunch box on the stone lion’s head. "Master, try this. The braised tofu and scrambled eggs with yellow chives were made by me personally."

Chen Ji asked curiously, "How did you know I like braised tofu?"

Xiao Man smiled, "My second sister reminded me. She also warned me that the Chen family’s second household suffered heavy losses this time, so I must personally select ingredients and cook the meals, cautious of anyone trying to harm you."

Leaning against the stone lion, Chen Ji shoveled rice into his mouth. After swallowing a bite, "Afraid Lady Wang might retaliate against me?"

Xiao Man shook her head, "No, Wang was put under house arrest by the second household this morning."

Chen Ji was taken aback, "Why?"

Xiao Man slowly explained, "It was originally a union between the Chen family and the Shuntian Prefect. With the prefect gone, and the Wang family down, Wang serves no purpose. In such a cold courtyard, the person who lacks utility is naturally abandoned. Soon enough, Wang might ’pass away’ due to illness."

Chen Ji paused his chopsticks, "She’s Chen Wende’s biological mother, isn’t she?"

Xiao Man replied, "The second sister said Chen Wende is now the Assistant Minister of Rites. If he wants to climb further, he cannot leave a stain like Wang on himself; maybe he desires her death most."

Chen Ji finished the meal quickly, "Xiao Man, go and prepare some things for me and deliver them to the guard post before evening."

Xiao Man asked curiously, "What does Master need?"

Chen Ji closed his eyes to recall briefly, "Wood charcoal, sulfur, pine resin powder, oil-soaked hemp paper, vermillion powder, bamboo tubes, saltpeter, arsenic. Remember, buy arsenic and saltpeter separately from the pharmacy. Grind these ingredients finely, and sieve twice with horsehair sieve, filling bamboo tubes only six-tenths full..."

Xiao Man widened her eyes, "Master, I can’t remember all!"

Chen Ji returned to the governor’s office, writing a note, "Give this to your second sister to prepare. Make sure to remind her to burn the paper after reading it."

Xiao Man responded, "Perfect, the second sister handles matters adeptly."

"Go," Chen Ji placed the bowl and chopsticks into the lunch box, whispered some instructions to Xiao Man, and took off.

The Huitong Hall was right beside the Six Ministries, only a half mile from the Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion.

On the street, with pedestrians coming and going, Chen Ji followed behind a carriage, slowly passing the front of Huitong Hall, his peripheral vision constantly scanning the pedestrians on the roadside.

A peddler carried a pole but didn’t sell, merely wandering around nearby; the coachman wiped the carriage at the street corner, yet his collar was spotless.

There were many spies, all from the Xuan Snake’s forces.

Over twenty spies were stationed front and back of Huitong Hall, and who knows how many were inside waiting.

There was no way in. Unless Chen Ji took out his Hai Dongqing waist card, he could not enter by any means.

Chen Ji glanced towards the rooftop; west of Huitong Hall was the Shanglin Garden Supervisor, north was the Hanlin Academy, both guarded by the Five Cities Military Department, making a rooftop entry impossible.

He did not stop there, trailing behind the carriage without turning back.

Not the right time yet.

...

...

At evening, across from the Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion came the sound of three copper cloud board strikes—the Six Ministries were dismissing their employees.

Under the sunset, green silk palanquins exited the government office one by one, with the curtains pressed with bamboo strips, bearers wearing quick boots. The dignitaries inside the palanquins hurried to the Imperial Music Bureau to enjoy the show, as the new ladies from the Shuntian Prefect were rumored to be there.

Such high-level officials’ ladies seldom appeared in the Imperial Music Bureau.

After the palanquins and carriages left, clerks exited the government office in groups, heading straight to Chessboard Street’s teahouses and taverns, bringing life to Chessboard Street as families hung up lanterns.

In the Yulin Army Commander’s Mansion, Qi Zhenzhuo had just changed clothes, looking curiously at Duobao, "Where’s my master?"

Looking around, Duobao said, "Strange, he was just here."

Qi Zhenzhuo was startled, "Why did he leave alone? He promised tonight he would attend the Literary Meeting at my Qi Mansion."

At that moment, Chen Ji followed behind a Deputy Director of the Ministry of Works’ palanquin, silently walking in the bustling crowd. Passing Bianyifang Restaurant, Xiao Man came towards him, handed him a parcel, then walked away without looking back.

Chen Ji reached into the parcel, took out a bamboo tube, and used the fire inch strip to ignite the fuse wrapped around the bamboo tube, gently placing it at the roadside.

He continued ahead, watching as the bamboo tube behind him spewed thick smoke first white, then red, covering an area three yards in radius.

Chessboard Street’s pedestrians exclaimed in panic, "Fire! Bianyifang is on fire!"

Chen Ji lit another bamboo tube and tossed it among the pedestrians, walking and tossing, until half of Chessboard Street was engulfed in smoke, with pedestrians coughing violently.

The street spies couldn’t hide anymore, sending five or six men to investigate.

In the dense smoke, Chen Ji brushed past the spies, covering his mouth and nose as he approached outside Huitong Hall, igniting the last bamboo tube and throwing it into the second-floor window.

If he couldn’t get in, he would force the people inside to come out.