The Longest Day in Chang’an: A Race Against Time - Chapter 70

Zhang Xiaojing had no choice but to give up pursuing the old man, turned around and dashed outside the bookstore. The moment he went outside, he was greeted by half a dozen blazing lanterns. Over ten men who looked like blacksmiths or coachmen, surrounded Tanqi, their faces unfriendly. Once they saw Zhang Xiaojing rushed outside, all of them drew their anvil hammers and iron staffs.

“Where’s the fire-master?” the one in charge thundered.

These people were also Shouzhuo mercenaries. They were responsible for the security of this fire-point. Normally, they hid themselves in the taxi company or the blacksmith’s and wouldn’t show up unless they had to. They had come out of the dark because they heard that screech.

Zhang Xiaojing paled visibly. It turned out that the screech was not really a screech but a signal deliberately imitated the fire-master to alert these guards. This old fox was formidable. He set so many traps during this brief engagement.

Now, surrounded by these guards, Zhang Xiaojing could never pursue that old man. A couple of guards pushed Zhang Xiaojing aside, rushed into the room and soon walked outside, their faces murderous.

They had all heard the sound of that heavy punch on the wall. Clearly, there had been a disagreement between the visitor and the fire-master. Soon after that, the screech of the fire-master came, and then this man ran out of the room covered in blood. Now the body of the fire-master was discovered, and they also found this man’s crossbow beside the overturned table in the room.

The facts couldn’t be clearer.

“Shouzhuo mercenaries, Shouzhuo mercenaries, return every favor and repay every debt.” A captain-like man uttered this slogan and wielded his hammer. There were a dozen people here, and they also blocked the narrow alley. Zhang Xiaojing was definitely no match for them even if he had grown out three heads and six arms.

Tanqi said angrily, “It’s not us who killed the fire-master.” Those guards smiled wryly. They didn’t believe this feeble defense at all. Zhang Xiaojing raised his copper ID plate and yelled, “I’m Zhang Xiaojing working for Jing’an Department. Seventeen Liu brought me here to query the fire-master. I didn’t kill him. Somebody else did.”

The captain furrowed his forehead, thinking that if this guy really worked for the Imperial Court, this matter would be tricky. He signaled his subordinates to stand by. “You mean Seventeen Liu brought you here? Where is he?”

“He would be here soon.”

The captain said, “Okay, then. We’ll decide whether we’ll let you live after he arrives.” He repeatedly tossing the iron hammer to himself, blue veins rippling beneath his skin, the murderous look in his eyes unchanged.

In the distance, a black figure took a few leaps and soon left Pingkang Fang.

When he heard Ji Wen’s announcement, Yao Runeng was transfixed in shock, as if he had just turned into a statue.

Abducting Wang Yunxiu? Colluding with enemies in attacking Jing’an Department?

Yao Runeng felt it unbelievably absurd to accuse Zhang Xiaojing of these two crimes, but when he saw the new chief of Jing’an Department, this was a very reasonable conjecture.

In common people’s eyes, all criminals were cacodemons of the most untrustworthy kind. Just like what Ji Wen had just said, a convict condemned to death for killing his superior was highly inclined to commit the same crime for a second time… Not to mention Ji Wen, back then when Li Bi had just promoted Zhang Xiaojing, even Yao Runeng himself was prejudiced against him, believing that this person must be up to something.

But this time was not like the last time. The last time when Zhang Xiaojing was taken into custody, Cui Qi detained him without the superior’s order, and there were no accusations against him at all, so people of Praetorian Guards Department didn’t even dare mention his name in the document. But this time the open charge against Zhang Xiaojing was of totally different nature. He wouldn’t even be able to stay in the capital city any longer.

‘No. I have to tell Sicheng Ji what really happened!’

Yao Runeng pushed aside his colleagues beside him and ran to the gateway of Cibei Temple. Ji Wen was talking with a couple of curators who survived and making assignments. Heedless of formality, Yao Runeng abruptly interrupted, “Fuduan Ji, you made a mistake!”

“Hmm?”

“Si– Sicheng Ji… ” Yao Runeng changed his address very reluctantly.

“Speak.” Finally, Ji Wen allowed him to continue.

“I’m Yao Runeng, a field agent of Jing’an Department. I’ve been assisting Commandant Zhang in the investigation into this case all the time. He’s been searching for Lady Wang and also managed to stop those Turkish Wolf Guards, both of which are meritorious deeds known by many. How’s it possible that he colluded with enemies? There must be some kind of misunderstanding!”

Ji Wen stroked his beard and smiled mildly, “Son of Yao family, I also had such a suspicion just now, but Sicheng Li once said that Turkish Wolf Guards were just a pawn, that there was a mastermind behind all this. I’m afraid Zhang Xiaojing eliminating Turkish Wolf Guards probably was a cover-up.”

Blindsided by him quoting Li Bi’s words, Yao Runeng was unable to contradict him. Ji Wen suddenly clapped his hand and, as if he just recalled something and said, “Just now, I heard that a girl named Wen Ran had been found in Changming Fang, that you were the one who found her. Is it true?”

“Yes.”

“But I was told that Zhang Xiaojing deliberately lied to Jing’an Department, claiming that he found some clues to the whereabouts of Wang Yunxiu. He tricked Sicheng Li into sending a lot of men to rescue her, but it turned out that the one who was rescued was his mistress.”

These remarks were very malicious and contained an undertone of the most venomous speculation, but most of them were true. Yao Runeng also knew that Li Bi was very displeased with this. ‘But… But this can’t prove that Zhang Xiaojing is a mole.’

At this moment, the official on the side who had read the statute scroll interposed, “When Zhang Xiaojing was in Wannian County, his nickname was the Five-Honored Yama –ruthless, venomous, cold-blooded, willful and cruel. Not everybody can keep a man as fierce and powerful as him under control.”

This remark had nothing to do with the topic of the conversation, but in most people’s opinion, this was the best footnote of what kind of man Zhang Xiaojing really was. And he also incriminated Li Bi in a roundabout way.

Yao Runeng clenched his fists, intending to contradict him, but suddenly a thought occurred to him.

Ji Wen’s appointment was issued by the Chief of Secretariat, which meant that he worked for Prime Minister Li, so he would do everything he could to prove that Li Bi was wrong, that the Crown Prince was wrong. As a result, no matter how hard Yao Runeng tried to contradict, Zhang Xiaojing would still be deemed a mole. Yao Runeng looked at Ji Wen again and finally detected a trace of malevolence on his seemingly gentle and virtuous face.

Indignation and despair bubbled just below the surface of his mind. ‘Chang’an hangs by a hair, yet these guys dangling in mid-air are pondering how to kill the only person who’s trying to stop the hair from snapping! What the fuck is wrong with them!’

If it were in the past, Yao Runeng would have either submitted himself to his impulse and started arguing with them heedless of all potential consequences, or he would have resigned. But during the past couple of hours, he had witnessed too much filthiness hidden beneath hypocrisy, and he knew that in Chang’an, it was not enough to just have a rightful cause and animal courage.

He had to stay useful to be helpful to Commandant Zhang.

Seeing that Yao Runeng was unable to contradict him, Ji Wen turned around and resumed talking to a couple of curators. “Currently, Sicheng Li is unaccounted for. Our only clue is Zhang Xiaojing. I’ve already dispatched over forty foreign servants to deliver the warrant to all fangs. You must restore the big watchtower and the citywide surveillance as soon as possible. This is our first priority.”

Faces of those curators went awkward. One of them said, “The watchtower network was built by Sicheng Li, and it’s very complicated. We’re merely responsible for dealing with documents and files, so in this regard… all we could do is enjoy the fruits of his work.”

Ji Wen was mildly unhappy. “Are you saying that all people who know how to repair watchtowers are dead?” Those curators were too embarrassed to reply. Yao Runeng suddenly raised his hand and said, “I have a nodding acquaintance of it.”

“Oh?”

“I used to be in charge of the decoding of flag codes and lantern codes.” Yao Runeng wasn’t lying, and all those curators verified his words. Ji Wen nodded in consent. “Okay, then. This job is on you. Get the watchtower working in two hours.”

Yao Runeng was secretly pleased. If he managed to take control of the main watchtower, he would be able to help Commandant Zhang. But to do this, he had to feign obedience and courteously deal with this hypocritical new superior, which was a deed he hated the most.

Now he finally understood what Zhang Xiaojing meant when he said “wrong things we should do”.

At this moment, someone patted Yao Runeng’s shoulder. He turned his head back and saw that it was the official who read the statute scroll.

“I’m Yuan Zai. My style name is Gongfu. I’m a consultant of Dali Temple. And I’ve just been appointed Censor Ji’s assistant, which is an honor I’m unworthy of,” Yuan Zai said with a big smile and shook the scroll in his hand. “You said that your name is Yao Runeng, right? I happen to have something to consult you about.”

“Please go ahead, Consultant Yuan.”

“Just now I checked the records. You brought a woman named Wen Ran out of the cell and found a place for her nearby, right?”

“Ah? Yes… ” The moment Yao Runeng said this, he regretted it. Yuan Zai’s eyes had been darting back and forth, so it was very difficult for him to take effective precautions. A momentary lapse of Yao Runeng’s concentration gave Yuan Zai a chance to avail himself of this loophole.

Yuan Zai’s eyes lit up. “This woman has a very close relationship with Zhang Xiaojing. We need her if we want to catch Zhang Xiaojing. Where’s she?”

“I’ll bring her here right now.” Yao Runeng evaded answering Yuan Zai’s question and was just about to walk away when Yuan Zai rolled his eyes and stopped him. “You have the main watchtower to repair. There’s no need for you to delay it for this petty issue. Just tell me the address.”

He made these remarks in a confrontational manner, giving Yao Runeng no chance to think. Yao Runeng was unable to find a good excuse to decline… but he knew under no circumstances could he hand her over to this guy, because Commandant Zhang would be killed if he did so.

Yuan Zai still had a smile on his face, but there was a note of impatience in his voice. “Talk. Now. You’re not trying to protect her, are you?”

Yao Runeng knew that if Yuan Zai became suspicious, Ji Wen would never let him stay in charge of the repairing of the main watchtower, which meant that he wouldn’t be able to help Zhang Xiaojing.

Now, he must make a choice between Zhang Xiaojing and Wen Ran.

Yao Runeng clenched his teeth. He would rather have no choice.