Green Mountain-Chapter 734 - 587: Binghu

Outside the iron window, it is night.

The spy's gaze was fixed on the Three Auspicious Gates on the ivory card. He raised the oil lamp beside him closer to the iron window, examining it repeatedly by the faint light.

After confirming it was the same ivory card from the shadow map, he turned his head, his eyes moving past the card to look at Chen Ji behind it.

Chen Ji raised his head, the eyes between the bamboo hat and the black cloth mask were decisive and unquestionable.

A long time ago, Chen Ji knew the ivory card left to him by Old Yao could open the iron gates of any inner prison... because it was the Court Appearance Ivory Card of the Top Three Zodiac Binghu.

It's said that no one knows Binghu's true face, but does absolutely no one know?

No, Meng Ji surely knows.

That's why when Meng Ji interrogated Chen Ji a second time, he deliberately went easy, merely going through the motions in that dreamscape.

Mr. Feng surely knows as well.

That's why Mr. Feng was always especially lenient with Chen Ji.

After the prison break in Luocheng City, Chen Ji went to the Spy Department office in Huajing Alley to seek out Mr. Feng.

Mr. Feng said to him at the time, "If it weren't for someone coming here to stall me for two hours, do you think you would have had a chance to get the Princely Heir out of the inner prison?"

Chen Ji was very clear that in Luocheng, the only person capable of stalling Bai Long for two hours was Binghu.

And in this unfamiliar Ning Dynasty, the only person willing to stall Bai Long for him for two hours could only be Old Yao, no one else.

After the battle in Guyuan, Mr. Feng engaged in a secret conversation with him. Amidst the ruins, that middle-aged scholar spoke passionately, "When those spoilt young masters are cockfighting at Zhangtai, we must go against them and march northward."

At that time, Chen Ji asked, "How does one advance within the Twelve Signs?"

Mr. Feng merely said meaningfully, "When the time comes, you will naturally know."

At that moment.

Chen Ji realized the significance of the Court Appearance Ivory Card left to him by Old Yao. He had never shown the card to anyone before because he knew the cost of presenting it.

Now, Chen Ji stared across the small iron window at the spy inside: "Open the door."

The spy hurriedly complied, and the sound of locks being undone was heard, with the first iron gate rumbling open.

Then the second gate also opened.

The spy stepped aside, revealing the long, dark corridor behind him, "Lord Binghu, Lord Prisoner is not here tonight, she's leading twenty-four spies to guard the Huitong Hall. Do you need me to call for her?"

"No need," Chen Ji said without looking aside, walking into the depths of the inner prison. The spy bowed deferentially behind him, even as Chen Ji's figure disappeared into the corridor's darkness, he didn't dare to straighten up for a long time.

Chen Ji continued down the stone steps into the depths, where the Eight Diagrams Lamps on the stone walls flickered unsteadily. After many months, the accumulated ice flow in the inner prison surged out, merging into his Dantian.

Every Eight Diagrams Lamp in this inner prison corridor was crafted by Old Yao, intended to lock in all the ice flows and pave the way for the next Mountain Lord.

Screams echoed from deep within the inner prison, countless people unknown suffering torture, which Chen Ji ignored, heading straight to the Pipa Hall.

Along the way, every spy who saw the ivory card in Chen Ji's hand stood respectfully to the sides without daring to raise their heads, greeting uniformly, "Lord Binghu."

The Eunuch Party's inner prison, which made Jianghu knights tremble upon hearing its name, was traversed freely by him.

Chen Ji once told Han Tong he would first use him to exchange for Bai Li, and then rescue him. As long as Han Tong cooperated, he could ensure Han Tong and his daughter's departure from the Imperial Capital.

This wasn't deceiving Han Tong, but rather Chen Ji knew from the start how to rescue Han Tong.

Just as he told Han Tong... rescuing Han Tong was much easier than rescuing Bai Li.

At this moment, the twelve lamps in the Pipa Hall were brightly lit, the brazier burned with scorching branding irons, the gaps in the floorboards clotted with uncleanable bloodstains, a stench of blood and decay filling the air. Ordinary prisoners brought into the Pipa Hall would be scared stiff before any torture began.

At this time, several spies were recording dossiers, and Han Tong was tied to the torture frame, unconscious.

Chen Ji entered the Pipa Hall, revealing the ivory card. The spies were alarmed, standing up and cupping their hands in salute, "Lord Binghu… what are your orders, Lord Binghu?"

Chen Ji calmly said, "Untie Han Tong, I'm taking him away."

A spy cautiously asked, "May I ask, Lord Binghu, does the Prime Minister know of this?"

Chen Ji cast his gaze over, "Who are you?"

The spy bowed and answered, "I am Hai Dongqing under Lord Xuan She, Gao Yi."

Chen Ji glanced sideways at the back of his head, "Do I need you to question my actions? Has Xuan She not taught you the rules?"

Gao Yi gathered his courage to look up and meet Chen Ji's gaze, but within those eyes clearly lay the lives of hundreds.

In an instant, Gao Yi's voice trembled: "I dare not... Quickly, untie Han Tong and hand him over to Lord Binghu." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Several spies hastily freed Han Tong from the torture rack, while Chen Ji boldly walked out, gripping Han Tong's belt.

In the Pipa Hall, a spy whispered: "My lord, are we just letting him take Han Tong away like that?"

Gao Yi's voice no longer trembled, he calmed down: "Do you know why our Spy Department only recognizes waist tags and not people? It is because Lords Bai Long, Binghu, and Treasure Monkey never show their true faces to anyone. As long as the waist tag is there, they are there. Whether the person holding the waist tag is truly one of the three is none of our concern. If he isn't Binghu, even if someone complains to Lord Prime Minister afterwards, it's not our fault; that ivory card is indeed identical to the shadow map. But if he truly is Binghu from the Top Three, and we try to stop him, he'll kill us on the spot, and we'd die in vain."

The spy still had doubts: "But Han Tong..."

If Bai Long were the one taking him away, these spies wouldn't dare utter a word. But since the previous Binghu, Feng Wenzheng, was executed, and now a new Binghu has suddenly appeared, the spies couldn't help but stay cautious.

Gao Yi watched Chen Ji's back disappear down the corridor, lowering his voice: "Lord Xuan Snake is interrogating Li Muzhe in Section B, quickly report this to the lord. He's been contemplating the Top Three for a long time, now that someone has filled Binghu's vacancy, he'll want to find out the truth by any means."

Chen Ji carried Han Tong out of the inner prison.

As he stepped out of the iron gates of the inner prison, fresh air hit his face as if emerging from the dense black water, shedding the shackles.

He calmly walked through the fake mountains and hidden sentries, his face showing no sign of change. And in the darkness, no matter how puzzled or suspicious the eyes were, no one dared to stop him.

...

...

Outside Taiye Pond, beside the carriage, Chen Huainan and Zheng Zhou paced back and forth.

Chen Huainan suddenly stopped: "We can't wait any longer, if that masked person fails and falls into the hands of the Eunuch Party and reveals us, it's all over!"

Zheng Zhou agreed: "Although the old gang leader is important, we can't risk losing the new gang leader for him. Our Cao Guild still needs the new gang leader to return and manage the situation, we can't all end up here."

Chen Huainan spoke gravely towards the carriage: "Gang Leader, the inner prison is the Eunuch Party's den, we've tried earlier, and only the Twelve Signs and Jiefan Guard households can enter. Unless your friend has supernatural abilities, he won't get in either. You're not deeply involved, and though you possess the realm of an executive officer, you don't yet understand what this Jianghu truly is, don't trust others too easily, lest you risk your life."

Bai Li sat inside the carriage, calmly speaking through the curtain: "Wait a bit longer."

Chen Huainan and Zheng Zhou were about to react but remembered Bai Li's realm as an executive officer and held back.

Tian Kuang leaned forward to the carriage to probe: "Since the gang leader trusts this person, at least tell us their identity so we have some idea... Can he really rescue the old gang leader? He won't sell us out, will he? If we all end up in the Eunuch Party's hands, the Cao Guild is finished."

Bai Li did not answer.

At that moment, Chen Ji emerged from Taiye Pond, his figure slowly appearing out of the darkness.

He brought Han Tong straight to the carriage and said to Bai Li inside: "Han Tong is here, let's leave now, through Anding Gate."

With that, Chen Ji lifted the curtain and tossed Han Tong into the carriage.

Bai Li quietly watched Chen Ji, her expression mixed with emotions, she tried several times to speak, but didn't know where to start.

Tian Kuang immediately jumped into the carriage, wiping the blood off Han Tong's face: "It really is the old gang leader!"

He joined two fingers and moved them over Han Tong's body, moments later confidently said: "Both governor and conception vessels are intact, the realm of an executive officer is still present!"

Chen Huainan and Zheng Zhou exchanged glances, previously doubting just how this masked man planned to rescue someone, given the inner prison was the Eunuch Party's lair and Han Tong was gravely condemned, how could someone rescue him alone?

Furthermore, though Bai Li was a young gang leader, despite knowing powerful figures in Prince Jing Mansion, how could she attract a master capable of infiltrating the inner prison?

But now, with Han Tong right before them, they had no choice but to believe.

The mysterious person not only rescued Han Tong, but also remained unscathed, emerging completely unharmed.

Lu Qi bowed towards Chen Ji: "May I know the name of this hero? Our Cao Guild is not ungrateful, we promise a generous reward."

Chen Ji ignored him and instead looked into the dim carriage: "Let's go quickly."

However, at that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from within Taiye Pond, causing Chen Huainan and the others to react as if facing a formidable enemy, instantly drawing their hand crossbows aiming towards the sound.

Chen Huainan saw Xuan Snake cloaked in a large black cloak striding towards them, he cast a glance at Chen Ji, panic-stricken: "You really led the Eunuch Party here!"

Chen Ji calmly watched Xuan Snake: "Don't worry."

A moment later, Xuan Snake loudly declared: "Lord Binghu, please stop."

Chen Huainan's pupils sharply contracted, he glanced at Xuan Snake, then at the masked figure next to him.

Binghu?

How could this person be Binghu?