When Changgeng chased after the monk Liao Ran to the outskirts of the city, it was already late at night and the surroundings were silent. The sound of the wooden carriage in the city was also faintly fading away. He then stopped and called out to the person in front of him, "Master Liao Ran, please slow down."
Liao Ran paused in his steps.
Changgeng spoke slowly and his attitude was not angry at all. He was gentle and polite, just like how he used to silently drink bitter tea in the meditation room.
Only his palm had already moved to the hilt of his sword, ready to unsheathe the sword at any time and skewer the monk.
Changgeng said, "I have often talked with Great Master these days and I have benefited a lot. I also know that Great Master cares about the world and is not a person who is content to talk about Buddhism and Taoism in the meditation room. Great Master may have heard of my background. Marquis has traversed thousands of miles. Even though he is a famous general, no matter what position the country places him in, to me, he is just a family member who depends on each other. I am just a small person without much ability. The iron in my hand is barely enough to stand on, so I can't worry about major matters. I only have the Marquis' residence and a few people in my heart. I hope Great Master can understand."
Liao Ran, "…"
He did not know how Changgeng usually spoke to Gu Yun, but to outsiders, he had always been very reserved. Liao Ran thought that he had already experienced it, but he never expected that there would be someone in this world who could say such murderous words like "Friendship is friendship, if you dare to touch Gu Yun, I will stab you to death with my sword".
Liao Ran lowered his head and looked at his monk shoes that had been running for the whole day. He probed, "Your Highness is a noble and has a kind heart. You should have a world of your own. There is no need to belittle yourself."
Changgeng's expression was indifferent and unmoved, "A man is born in this world. If he can't even take care of his surroundings, why should he set his sights so far?"
Liao Ran smiled bitterly, knowing that it was not easy to fool him. He had no choice but to make a solemn vow, "Marshal Gu is the pillar of the country. If you pull one hair, it will affect the whole body. How would this monk dare to have the slightest bit of improper thoughts?"
Changgeng's palm was still on the hilt of his sword. "But the Great Master did intend to lead my foster father here."
Liao Ran said seriously, "Your Highness, please follow me."
Changgeng stared at him for a moment, then picked up his sword again and said with a smile, "Then I'll have to trouble you to lead the way and clear up my doubts."
If you can't solve it, I'll still stab you to death.
The Liao Ran monk took off his monk robe and turned it inside out. He saw that the white monk robe had two sides, the inside was black. He draped it over his body and covered his head. The monk then blended into the darkness.
Changgeng: "…"
He couldn't help but have a question in his heart — on the way from the capital to Jiangnan, he didn't seem to have seen Liao Ran change his clothes. Then, was the inside of his monk robe a piece of black cloth, or did he not wash it? Once he wore it black, he turned it inside out and wore it again?
Thinking of this, Changgeng's entire person became obsessed with cleanliness. It was almost impossible to walk side by side with the eminent monk!
Liao Ran, dressed in "night clothes," brought Changgeng through Jiangnan's fine and winding little bridges and streams. They quickly arrived at the docks of the inner canal.
The passage between Daliang's sea and the inner canal had been opened ten years ago. The two lines ran parallel to each other. It was very convenient for ships to go back and forth. It had once been a bustling riverside area. In recent years, because of the heavy taxes, it seemed a bit desolate.
However, a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. It was already late at night, but there were still merchant ships and boatmen busy at the docks.
Liao Ran waved his hand and stopped Changgeng's footsteps. He gestured, "There are already spies from the Black Iron Battalion in front. Don't get any closer."
Changgeng glanced at him and took out a clairvoyant eye. He looked toward the surface of the water.
The docks were calm. The boatmen and porters came and went. On the shore, there were some soldiers from the Jiangnan garrison checking the goods. He couldn't see anyone from the Black Iron Battalion, nor could he see anything unusual on the surface of the water.
At this time, Changgeng didn't trust Liao Ran very much. He didn't ask directly and silently observed. The boatmen were loading the goods. The goods were all packed in thin wooden boxes. Before boarding the ship, the boxes had to be opened and placed on a rotating conveyor belt. After the guards checked, they would be transported to the other side. There were a few boatmen waiting there to seal the boxes one by one and carry them onto the ship.
A few days ago, when he passed by, he heard the local people talk about it. The sea and river docks didn't check the merchant ships so strictly. It was because Jiangnan had recently started to promote the cultivation of puppets. The imperial court had released a large amount of purple gold to prevent thieves from secretly reselling it. That was why they became nervous.
As soon as the boxes for inspection were opened, Changgeng couldn't help but wrinkle his nose from a thousand feet away. "What's that smell?"
Liao Ran wrote on the tree next to him, "Fragrance."
Changgeng stared blankly. "What?"
Liao Ran gestured. "Your Highness has lived in the Marquis of Stability's manor for a long time. The incense you use must be bestowed by the emperor. You've never seen the cheap stuff that the common people use. This is made from a pile of leftover spices pressed into an oil or paste. The smell is very strong. When you buy it, you need to add three layers of sealed jars to prevent it from losing its smell. You only need to take out a little each time and melt it in warm water. It can be used for several months.
It's only a small amount. "The suppressed incense was too strong. When it reached a certain level, it was completely disgusting. Changgeng's head hurt from the smell. He didn't have time to correct the monk's misunderstanding. The Marquis' manor never used incense. After washing, there was only the smell of soap.
Changgeng raised his clairvoyance. Suddenly, he saw a man's figure flash by on the merchant ship. His hair, accessories, and clothing were different from the people of the Central Plains. He thought of the things Liao Ran had told him about overseas. He asked, "I seem to have seen the Dongying people that a master mentioned. Then this is a merchant ship going to Dongying … What do the Dongying people do with so much fragrance? Are they bringing it home to cook and eat?"
Liao Ran looked at him with admiration.
The wooden boxes containing the fragrance meandered like a long dragon. Four or five large ships hidden in the darkness waited there. They were even more spectacular than the merchant ships transporting fresh seafood.
If one pill of fragrance could be used for eight to ten years, why would anyone buy so many?
Not to mention the palm-sized Dongying archipelago, even the people of Daliang might not be able to buy all these ships.
The soldiers at the dock were tearing up from the smell. They covered their noses with handkerchiefs and desperately urged the boatmen to hurry up and pass the boxes. There was a dog assisting in the inspection beside them, but it was already lying motionless on the side.
Changgeng asked in a low voice, "Master, what is the dog beside the garrison investigating?"
"That's a 'dog inspector'," Liao Ran said, "Purple Gold has a faint bitter smell. Humans can't smell it, but dogs are very sensitive. Purple Gold is very important. When the Emperor Wu period ordered to reorganize the black market of Purple Gold, the dog inspector made a great contribution. He's still in use today."
The dog inspector rolled his eyes because of the inferior fragrance. Not to mention Purple Gold, he probably couldn't even smell meat and bones.
Changgeng said, "So Master suspects that this group of Dongying people has an ulterior motive on board and led my foster father to investigate this?"
Liao Ran didn't have time to nod before Changgeng followed up and asked, "Then Master, how did you know that my Marquis would come in person? And this should be a matter between Yingtian Fu and the Jiangnan garrison. He came without a mission. How could you be so sure that he would interfere? Why didn't you go find Inspector Yingtian or the Inspector? Why did you have to go to the farthest and go to the trouble of leading him from the northwest? "
Liao Ran was speechless.
He thought that this was the first time the young man went out alone and encountered such a big conspiracy. He was shocked and would easily neglect other things. But he didn't expect that Changgeng wasn't that shocked. He only frowned from beginning to end and insisted on getting to the bottom of it.
The monk couldn't help but think of the rumor that Gu Yun brought this child back from Yanhui Town. Some people said that the barbarian rebellion in Yanhui Town was facilitated by the Fourth Prince's foster mother. The Fourth Prince put righteousness before family, so the Black Iron Battalion was prepared to catch all the barbarians in one fell swoop.
But how old was Changgeng at that time? At most twelve or thirteen years old …
Liao Ran suddenly wanted to ask, "During the rebellion in Yanhui, did you kill anyone?" But after a moment, he swallowed it back because he felt that there was no need to ask.
Changgeng looked at him quietly. Under the moonlight, Liao Ran saw two light shadows in his eyes.
He had long known that Changgeng had a special precocious intelligence and precociousness. He thought that it was because his identity changed when he was young and he was sensitive because he lived under someone else's roof in the capital. It wasn't until now that the monk suddenly realized that this young man's eyes might have seen a secret that no one else knew.
He even suspected that even Gu Yun didn't know.
Liao Ran's attitude became cautious. He deliberated for a moment before he slowly gestured, "I know he will come. I also know that as long as he comes, he will definitely interfere. This matter has a wide range of implications. It's not something a small Yingtian Fu can settle. There are some things that Marquis should have a tacit understanding with us."
Changgeng narrowed his eyes and keenly noticed that he said "us."
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of wind behind him. Before Liao Ran could react, the decorative sword on Changgeng's waist had already been unsheathed. This was his instinctive reaction after fighting with Iron Puppet countless times.
The shiny sword hit the Xuan Tie's wind-cutting blade. Changgeng recognized that it was Black Eagle. Both of them withdrew their weapons at the same time and retreated.
Black Eagle took the opportunity to kneel down on one knee, "Sorry to disturb Your Highness. Marquis asked this subordinate to bring Your Highness and Great Master back."
Changgeng raised his eyebrows slightly. How did Gu Yun know that he and Liao Ran sneaked here?
What did the monk Liao Ran mean by "tacit understanding"?
He understood, but was not surprised. Following the good advice, he took off his ridiculous headscarf, bowed his head solemnly and solemnly, and silently expressed, "Thank you for your hospitality."
Early the next morning, a Black Eagle knocked on the door.
Black Eagle said, "Master Liao Ran wants to continue his travels. The Marshal also wants to rush back to the northwest. He asked this subordinate to escort Your Highness back to the Marquis's residence. Your Highness, please give your orders so that we can set off when it's convenient."
If he had not seen the strange Japanese merchant ships at the canal crossing the night before, Changgeng felt that he would have believed it.
But before he could open his mouth, someone gently knocked on the wooden handrail of the long corridor opposite him.
Black Eagle turned around and saw the mysterious mute monk standing there. Liao Ran gestured to Chong Changgeng to "wait a moment." He tidied up his clothes and directly pushed open the door to Gu Yun's room.
Black Eagle and Changgeng were dumbfounded. The monk did not knock on the door!
If the entire Marquis's residence did not know that Gu Yun hated baldies, Changgeng would almost suspect that the two of them had a close relationship.
Probably afraid of being beaten out, Liao Ran pushed open the door but did not directly enter the room. He only bowed to the people in the room.
Gu Yun was not anxious with him. A slightly impatient voice came from the room, "Great Master, what advice do you have?"
He gestured with his hands and said, "Grand Marshal, young eagles don't grow up in a golden cage. Besides, you just happen to be lacking a few attendants to hide from people's eyes and ears. Why don't you bring His Highness along? The late Emperor left the position of Yanbei Commandery Prince for His Highness. In a year or two, he should be in the imperial court. "
Gu Yun coldly replied, "Great Master, you are meddling too much."
At this moment, Liao Ran took a step forward and suddenly crossed the threshold. At a place where others could not see, he seemed to have made a gesture to Gu Yun.
Gu Yun, who was in the room, suddenly became silent.
Changgeng heard Cao Niangzi ask softly behind him, "What do you mean? Where is Marshal taking us? "
His heart suddenly beat wildly. With Gu Yun's temperament, he would never take him. Changgeng knew in his heart that he had to choose between "secretly follow and act without permission" or "obediently return to the capital and not let him worry". He never expected that Gu Yun would be willing to take him along.
At this moment, his expectations were suddenly ignited and a layer of sweat appeared in his palms.
He was not even this nervous when he confronted the barbarians.
After a long while, he heard Gu Yun sigh, "Follow me then. You are not allowed to leave my side. Do as I said before."
Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi, who did not know what they were going to do, cheered loudly. Changgeng lowered his head and coughed lightly to suppress the silly smile on his face. At the same time, another question surfaced in his mind. What did Liao Ran say to Gu Yun?
Was there someone in this world who could persuade his adoptive father?
Not long after, a tattered carriage headed towards the outskirts of the city.
The driver was a monk. In the carriage was a "weak" young master with two manservants and a maidservant. The Black Eagle that Gu Yun always had with him was nowhere to be seen.
Changgeng could not help but look at Gu Yun. He had taken off his armor and changed into a wide-sleeved high-collared robe to cover the wound on his neck. His hair was not tied up and was draped down in an unruly manner, as if he was mocking the bald driver. His eyes were covered with a piece of black cloth.
Unable to see the upper half of his face, Changgeng was annoyed to find that his attention kept involuntarily circling around his adoptive father's pale lips. He could only look down and retract his gaze.
Ge Pangxiao could not help but ask, "Marquis, why are you pretending like this?"
Gu Yun tilted his head slightly in his direction and pointed at his ears. He said in all seriousness, "I am deaf. Don't talk to me."
Ge Pangxiao, "…"
His deafness was really domineering.
It was unknown who came up with this rotten idea. Gu Yun planned to use the identity of an incense master to get on the incense congealing boats. Some incense merchants among the people believed that the five senses would hinder the sense of smell, so they made people blind and deaf from a young age and made them rely on their sense of smell for a living. The incense masters cultivated in this way were the best. The people respectfully called them "Mr. Incense".
Gu Yun covered his eyes and pretended to be deaf. He acted like this from the moment he left the house. He even asked others not to talk to him. He was particularly engrossed in his act.
When they reached the dock, there was already someone there to receive them. Changgeng lifted the curtain and saw a fat middle-aged man smiling amiably at the carriage, "Mr. Zhang, you came a little late. Were you delayed by something on the road?"
Gu Yun did not know whose name he used without anyone noticing. Changgeng thought that the real incense master was probably kidnapped by the Black Eagle halfway. His expression did not change. He cupped his hands and said, "I am sorry. My master's eyes and ears are inconvenient."
The middle-aged man was stunned. Gu Yun reached out and patted Changgeng's arm, extending his hand to let him support him.
Changgeng hurriedly caught him. At the same time, he wondered in his heart, "Even if he is pretending, his eyes are covered. Why is there no inconvenience in his movements?"
He did not even touch Changgeng when he reached out to pat him. His landing point was so accurate that it seemed like he was blindly used to it.
However, this doubt only flashed by. When Gu Yun got off the carriage, he bent down slightly and almost leaned into Changgeng's arm. He suddenly removed his armor. At this moment, he actually looked a little thin. Changgeng had the illusion that he could lift him up if he stretched out his hand.
This made his mouth suddenly dry up. When he questioned the Liao Ran, his mind was no longer clear. He could only maintain the calmness on his face. At the same time, his mind was restless. He supported Gu Yun like a walking corpse to the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man's face flashed with doubt and vigilance. He cupped his hands and said, "Forgive me for not knowing that you are 'Mr. Xiang'. We are a small business. We sell a can of incense that costs a few copper coins. How can we afford to hire someone like you …"
Before he finished speaking, a few men dressed as boatmen turned around. Their eyes were shining and their temples were slightly bulging. With a glance, it was obvious that these people were not boatmen at all.
Changgeng lowered his head slightly and pretended not to see. He took a step forward and subtly blocked Gu Yun behind him. He wrote on Gu Yun's palm, "Sir, they are asking about our origin."
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