Thick smoke billowed into the sky, carrying sparks and ash, as the heavens hung low.

The people of Guyuan simultaneously turned their heads to watch the distant, raging inferno. For a moment, they froze like statues, their spirits plummeting into despair, faces etched with hopelessness.

Chen Ji stood with a solemn expression on the eaves of a tavern, gazing intently at the border army camp.

The next moment, a roar emanated from the border army camp. A colossal explosion echoed throughout Guyuan, as if more than a dozen Divine Machine Battalion cannons had fired simultaneously.

Were they firearms?

No!

Chen Ji watched the flames burst and spread, instantly engulfing a large section of tents… This was the look of a dust explosion; the flour in the border army camp had exploded.

It was indeed the border army’s food reserves that were burning!

At that moment, someone downstairs cursed angrily, “Damn it, the border army took our grain, only for it to be burned by Jing Dynasty spies?”

“Useless border army! They can’t even guard the grain, how are they supposed to fight?”

“I said long ago that Hu Junxian can’t fight at all. The General of Guyuan should have been replaced ages ago!”

Someone lamented bitterly, “What’s the use of saying all this now? Guyuan is finished! Everyone just clean your necks and wait for the Jing Dynasty army to slaughter their way in!”

“Let’s go, let’s demand an explanation from the border army!”

Even before the Jing Dynasty army had dispatched a single soldier, Guyuan City was already in utter chaos.

Chen Ji watched the surging crowds rush towards the border army camp, then turned and leaped away across the rooftops.

Upon returning to Dragon Gate Inn, the Imperial Forest Guards were standing on Kucha Street, silently gazing at the distant fire with complex expressions.

Groups of Guyuan citizens passed by them, shouting demands for an explanation from the border army. Qi Zhenzhuo looked at Li Xuan and said, “Brother-in-law, why don’t we go ask Hu Junxian what on earth their border army is doing?”

Li Xuan glared at him fiercely. “Isn’t it chaotic enough already?”

Qi Zhenzhuo retorted, sticking out his neck, “Isn’t this all the border army’s doing? If we make it back to the capital alive, I’ll definitely have my grandfather impeach Hu Junxian!”

The Crown Prince said slowly, “Alright, let’s go inside first and take stock of the grain we bought today… Chen Ji is back?”

He saw Chen Ji standing outside the crowd and instinctively looked at Chen Ji’s hands. But when he saw that Chen Ji’s hands were also empty, he was immediately disappointed.

The Crown Prince asked gravely, “You didn’t find any grain either?”

Chen Ji replied calmly, “Reporting to Your Highness, I didn’t go looking for grain today. I was attending to other matters.”

Qi Zhenzhuo frowned, “What could be more important than grain right now? If you weren’t looking for grain, what were you busy with?”

Chen Ji gave him a silent glance but didn’t respond.

The Crown Prince sighed, “Now is not the time for colleagues to bicker amongst themselves. Let’s talk inside; we don’t want the common people to mock us.”

Li Xuan stepped forward and lifted the cotton curtain for the Crown Prince, and everyone filed inside.

Inside the inn’s main hall, the innkeeper was nowhere to be found, leaving only Xiao Wu sprawled asleep on the counter.

The Crown Prince and Li Xuan sat by an eight-immortals table. Li Xuan had an account book in front of him and, picking up his brush, asked the Imperial Forest Guard before him, “How much grain did you buy today?”

The Imperial Forest Guard bowed his head. “My lord, I…”

Li Xuan said heavily, “Did you not buy any grain today?”

The Imperial Forest Guard said shamefacedly, “My lord, I visited hundreds of households today, but they have no surplus grain left. No amount of silver would help.”

Li Xuan hesitated, wanting to speak, but finally just waved his hand helplessly. “Next.”

The Imperial Forest Guards had left in the morning with empty cloth bags and returned with empty cloth bags. Hundreds of them came forward in turn to report their findings, but in the end, only a small amount of grain was piled on the eight-immortals table.

Li Xuan stared blankly at the few cloth bags before him, then looked up at the assembled Imperial Forest Guards. “Today, over four hundred people went out, yet only brought back twelve *jin* of millet and twenty-eight *jin* of cornmeal. If we cook porridge tonight, we won’t even know what to eat tomorrow morning…”

It was only the first day of the siege, and the Imperial Forest Guards were already struggling.

Li Xuan looked around gravely. “Now, all of you, go out and continue searching for grain. If you don’t find any, you won’t sleep tonight. No matter what methods you use, if you come back empty-handed, don’t bother returning!”

Chen Liqin suddenly added from the side, “But everyone must also be careful not to do anything that violates the law. You must not bring ill repute upon His Highness.”

Qi Zhenzhuo raised an eyebrow. “Minister Chen, what do you mean by that? Are you looking down on the discipline of my Imperial Forest Guards?”

Chen Liqin’s face darkened. “Deputy Envoy Qi, I did not mean that. I was merely reminding you to be mindful of your methods when seeking grain. Countless eyes, both within the court and among the populace, are watching His Highness. If you make a mistake and cause His Highness to be recorded negatively by the imperial historians, how will the world view him?”

Qi Zhenzhuo angrily retorted, “Minister Chen, you speak so easily when you’re not doing the work! Your servants bought grain today, didn’t they? Why haven’t we seen it put together with everyone else’s grain? Our Imperial Forest Guard brothers are out searching for grain in the cold wind, while your Chen family members are all hiding indoors, keeping warm. Even if you and your wife are indisposed, Chen Wenzong, Chen Wenxiao, and Chen Ji should at least be with us!”

Wang Gui quickly interjected, “My eldest and second young masters are both *juren*!”

Qi Zhenzhuo spat on the ground. “Pah, what rubbish *juren*? My Qi family has plenty of *juren*; are they that rare? Ask any of my Imperial Forest Guard brothers, who doesn’t have a *juren* in their family?”

Wang Gui was about to say more, but Chen Wenzong stopped him.

Chen Wenzong cupped his fists and said, “Brother Qi is right. I will go out with you to find grain shortly.”

Qi Zhenzhuo sneered, “Now that sounds like a reasonable person! And also, bring out all the grain your Chen family bought today. Don’t hide it!”

Madam Liang gently interjected, “The Chen family didn’t buy much grain today either. We steamed a few *wotou* at noon and ate them all.”

Qi Zhenzhuo raised a hand and pointed at Wang Gui. “No, that’s not right! I just saw him hiding in the inn’s back kitchen, eating *wotou*!”

Madam Liang whirled around, her gaze like daggers, fixed on Wang Gui.

Wang Gui quickly knelt down. “It’s a misunderstanding! Deputy Envoy Qi must have mistaken me. I didn’t hide any grain.”

Chen Liqin angrily roared, “Get out and bring out the grain you hid, or I’ll break your legs!”

“Yes, yes, I’ll go right away!” Wang Gui scrambled and stumbled towards the backyard.

Amidst the clamor, Chen Ji stood quietly in a corner, his gaze fixed on the ceiling beams, pondering silently. The innkeeper had previously said that the secret passage was beneath the counter’s wooden board. Was that true?

Was this great fire the work of Jing Dynasty spies, or was it Bai Long’s doing?

Chen Ji didn’t know the answer. He only knew that anything involving Bai Long became convoluted and mysterious; no one could predict what would happen until the very last moment.

He could only wait and see.

At that moment, the Crown Prince, noticing his distraction, suddenly asked, “Chen Ji, what were you doing today?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “Reporting to Your Highness, your subordinate went to search for traces of Jing Dynasty spies.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes searched him. “Did you find any?”

Chen Ji shook his head. “No.”

He had caught Old Wu today, killed the shopkeeper of Yang’s Fur Shop, and found the Secret Spy Bureau and Bai Long. However, all these things had to be kept strictly confidential to avoid disrupting Bai Long’s plans.

In the main hall, an Imperial Forest Guard scoffed, “So, you were busy doing nothing all day? You might as well have looked for some grain, at least you wouldn’t starve. At a time like this, you’re still thinking about finding Jing Dynasty spies? Do you think you’re one of the Twelve Zodiac Animals of the Secret Spy Bureau?”

Chen Ji glanced at him but didn’t retort.

Qi Zhenzhuo, however, pressed on relentlessly, “You weren’t hiding somewhere slacking off all day, were you? Since His Highness appointed you Right Supervisor, you haven’t accomplished a single thing. I advise you to be a bit more diligent and share His Highness’s worries.”

Chen Ji remained silent for a long time before finally cupping his hands to the Crown Prince and saying, “Your subordinate originally thought that finding grain would not be difficult, and that with the Imperial Forest Guards searching, there would be enough. So, your subordinate simply went to search for Jing Dynasty spies, not putting much thought into this matter. But I didn’t expect so many Imperial Forest Guards to only bring back forty *jin* of grain.”

As soon as he spoke, the room fell silent. The Imperial Forest Guards all turned to look at Chen Ji, their expressions grim.

Qi Zhenzhuo exploded in anger. “Chen Ji, what do you mean by that?”

Chen Ji calmly replied, “Nothing.”

Li Xuan frowned. “Minister Chen, don’t engage in verbal sparring. Finding grain is indeed difficult right now; don’t put yourself in an awkward position.”

Chen Ji cupped his hands to the Crown Prince and said, “Your Highness, I know where we can find grain, but the price is considerable. I’m afraid it will be quite an expense for you.”

The Crown Prince hesitated for a moment. “Chen Ji, don’t worry about the price, but can you truly find grain? Rest assured, it’s alright even if you can’t find any; don’t force yourself.”

Chen Ji said calmly, “Your subordinate can certainly find grain, but I have one condition.”

Seeing his certainty, the Crown Prince no longer tried to dissuade him. “What condition?”

Chen Ji pointed to Qi Zhenzhuo nearby. “If I can buy forty *jin* of grain, Deputy Envoy Qi only needs to address me as Minister Chen from now on.”

Qi Zhenzhuo scoffed, “What nonsense are you spouting? If you can truly find it, what’s the harm in calling you Minister Chen?”

Chen Ji nodded. “It’s a deal.”

With that, he looked at the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, forty *jin* of grain might now cost four hundred *liang* of silver to buy. This amount of silver…”

Under normal circumstances, four hundred *liang* of silver could buy forty cattle, eighty mules, or forty-eight thousand *jin* of grain. But with lives at stake now, the Crown Prince could not consider such things.

He glanced at Li Xuan, who took out a string of Buddhist coins from his sleeve and handed them to Chen Ji. “This is five hundred *liang*. As long as you can buy it, money is no issue.”

Chen Ji took the Buddhist coins, turned, lifted the curtain, and walked out of the inn.

At that moment, shouts came from outside the door: “The border army is killing people! The border army is killing people!”

“Run!”

Dense footsteps approached, and countless Guyuan citizens ran past Kucha Street, some with blood splattered on them.

Chen Ji pulled one person aside and asked in a deep voice, “What happened? Why is the border army killing people?”

The man, held back, frantically explained, “We went to the border army camp to demand an explanation, and somehow, someone removed the barricades and charged into the camp. The border army turned hostile and killed everyone they saw. They must have killed hundreds!”

Chen Ji watched the setting sun gradually sink behind the city, remaining silent for a long time.

If someone charged the military camp, the border army would naturally make an example of them and act decisively.

But this was only the first day of the siege.