“Guest, are you opening the altar?”

Hearing the words “opening the altar,” the innkeeper, dressed in a black double-breasted cloth shirt, scrutinized Chen Ji from head to toe behind the counter. Xiao Liu’s eyes darted around, and even Xiao Wu, who was perched on the rafters, poked out half his head.

A moment later, the innkeeper slowly said, “Guest, it’s been a long time since anyone opened the altar at my Dragon Gate Inn. Do you know the rules for opening it?”

Chen Ji, while dusting himself off, smiled and replied, “The waiter mentioned earlier that after opening the altar, the news would spread far and wide, and it must be of immense significance. Besides that, what other rules are there?”

The innkeeper pondered for a moment before saying, “Guest, opening the altar is the most important rule at my Dragon Gate Inn. Once it’s opened, people will spread the word, and guests will flock here from all directions. If you can present news of immense significance then, that’s fine. But if you can’t, both your reputation and my inn’s reputation will suffer.”

Chen Ji curiously asked, “What happens if I can’t?”

The innkeeper stared at Chen Ji for a long time. “You’d be flayed alive, your tendons pulled out, and displayed on the archway in front of Qiuci Street as a warning to others… But my inn believes in doing business peacefully, so I must ask the guest a few questions beforehand.”

“Ask away.”

“Does the vital figure in your news hold a rank of true second-grade or higher in either the Ning or Jing dynasties? Sub-second grade does not count.”

“Yes.”

“Does it concern the safety of an entire city?”

“Yes.”

“Did you personally experience it?”

Chen Ji finally paused, hesitating for two breaths before answering, “Yes.”

A strange look appeared in the innkeeper’s eyes. “Since the guest is so certain, my Dragon Gate Inn will be lively tomorrow. Oh, and there’s one more rule I must inform you of beforehand.”

Chen Ji asked, “What rule?”

The innkeeper’s fingers unconsciously rubbed the abacus beads. “Any guest who has opened the altar at my inn can be provided with a secret passage to leave Guyuan with their companions, to prevent local strongmen from coveting the thousands of taels of silver they carry.”

Chen Ji’s eyes narrowed. “Where is this secret passage?”

The innkeeper raised a hand and pointed downwards. “Right here, in my Dragon Gate Inn.”

Chen Ji casually asked, “Where does it lead?”

The innkeeper chuckled. “My secret passage has two exits: one leads to Taiyuan Prefecture in the heartland of the Ning Dynasty, and the other leads to Fengshengzhou in Xijing Dao of the Jing Dynasty. Where would the guest like to go?”

Chen Ji said calmly, “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell the innkeeper once I have.”

The innkeeper cupped his fist. “Alright. Tomorrow, I’ll prepare fine wine and delicious dishes for the guest. I wish you abundant wealth and flourishing business in advance!”

“Thank you, innkeeper,” Chen Ji said, turning to go upstairs.

Xiao Liu, with a sly look, listened as the footsteps ascended to the third floor, then quickly turned to the innkeeper. “What kind of news do you think he’s selling?”

The innkeeper looked thoughtful. “I heard there was a major movement among both the border army and the Feathered Forest Army tonight. It’s quite possible it’s related to this. In Guyuan City, the only people above second-grade are General Hu and the Crown Prince.”

Xiao Liu gasped. “What exactly is this guest’s identity? I heard that the entire Shache Street was sealed off by the border army tonight. How did he get his information?”

The innkeeper’s eyes shone brightly. “I told you he was an ‘over-the-river dragon’… He must have just arrived in Guyuan, traveling by official road. Go now and ask around among your acquaintances in the border army. Someone must have seen his travel permit. Remember, you absolutely must find out his background. If you can’t, don’t bother coming back.”

Xiao Liu’s eyes lit up. “Such a good thing for me?”

“Scram!”

“Alright,” Xiao Liu said, discarding the white cloth draped over his shoulder. He took a coir rain cape and a bamboo hat from a cabinet behind the counter, pulled the brim low, and braved the wind and frost as he left the inn.

On the third floor of the inn, Chen Ji stood before the door of Heavenly Character Room A, rubbing his cheeks. Once his tense expression relaxed, he quietly pushed the door open.

The wooden door wasn’t bolted from the inside; a gentle push was enough to create a gap.

He tiptoed inside, careful not to disturb Zhang Zheng and the others’ peaceful sleep.

But when he turned around to close the door and then turned back, he saw Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia, who had somehow sat up from their floor mats, staring intently at him.

Xiao Man, who had been sitting on a small stool by the charcoal brazier, had also stood up.

Chen Ji said with a touch of apology, “Did I wake you up?”

Zhang Xia, holding Wu Yun in her arms, said, “We weren’t asleep yet.”

“How could we sleep when you weren’t back?” Zhang Zheng emerged from his quilt and picked up a vermillion lacquer food box from beside the charcoal brazier. “You haven’t eaten yet, have you? I saved some food for you and kept it warm by the brazier. Xiao Man, give it to your young master.”

Xiao Man stood up and wiped the Eight Immortals table and chairs in the room with her sleeve. She opened the food box and skillfully arranged the dishes: braised lamb with scallions, pot-fried tofu, and a large bowl of white rice.

Chen Ji looked at the food on the table, slightly surprised. “Did Brother Zhang save this for me?”

Zhang Zheng said proudly, “Of course! I figured you’d be busy all night and wouldn’t have time to eat, so I specifically asked the inn to prepare it for you.”

Xiao Man pouted and mumbled, “Always taking credit, as if he’s done something monumental. Even if you hadn’t prepared it, I would have…”

Zhang Zheng chuckled happily, “No need to be upset; this time, your master wanted to get ahead of you, little girl!”

“Brother Zhang, you’re surprisingly meticulous. Thank you,” Chen Ji said, sitting at the Eight Immortals table and putting a piece of tofu into his mouth. He silently pointed to the room next door with his chopsticks.

Zhang Xia replied, “The guest next door left last night and hasn’t returned. We don’t know where they went.”

Chen Ji felt relieved.

Zhang Zheng pulled up a chair and sat beside him, asking excitedly, “Where did you go tonight? When the other buyers at the inn saw you leave in such a hurry, they all went to that ‘tipster’ to buy information, which drove the tipster crazy with joy. At first, he was selling news for a few hundred coins, but then he started demanding five taels of silver. The buyers, impatient and desperate, had no choice but to begrudgingly agree. But after buying his information, everyone was still completely confused and had no idea what use the news was.”

Chen Ji swallowed the tofu in his mouth and explained, “Those collecting ‘human waste’ were likely Jing Dynasty spies. They intended to contaminate the city’s well water with it, preparing for a siege.”

Zhang Zheng’s face paled in shock. “So malicious? Then Guyuan City…”

Chen Ji hummed. “Don’t worry, the border army has killed all those spies.”

Zhang Xia, sharp-minded, stood behind Zhang Zheng and asked suspiciously, “All killed… no survivors? Is there something wrong with the border army?”

Chen Ji looked at her. “I caught a border soldier who was tipping off the Jing Dynasty spies. It appears that a faction within the border army is instigating unrest and inciting a mutiny under the guise of avenging Prince Jing.”

Zhang Xia frowned. “Is it Zhou You? He has a history of inciting mutinies.”

Chen Ji shook his head. “Not certain yet…”

Just then, Wu Yun, standing on the windowsill, let out a meow.

Someone was in the backyard.

Chen Ji’s eyes flickered, but he didn’t rush to get up. If he reacted every time Wu Yun meowed, people might eventually notice something amiss.

He pondered for a moment, then said to Zhang Zheng, “Brother Zhang, do you know anyone in the Eight Great Alleys?”

Zhang Zheng’s spirits lifted. “Yes, of course! Li Xingshou from Sweet Osmanthus Lane, Master Zhou from Spring Branch House…”

Xiao Man scoffed, “And you still claim you’re not full of ulterior motives?”

Zhang Zheng retorted, “I said I *know* them, not that I’ve been their intimate guest or one of their admirers. Someone just invited me for drinks, and we happened to meet there. Over time, we became acquainted…”

Zhang Xia said resignedly, “You two have been arguing all night. Can you please stop?”

Amidst their bickering, Chen Ji, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, silently carried his rice bowl to the window. He ate his rice while peering through the gap into the backyard.

Under the clear moonlight, Xiao Wu was limping, leading two people quietly towards the stable. Xiao Wu looked left and right in front of the stable, and after confirming no one was around, he slipped inside.

Chen Ji lowered his head and gave Wu Yun a look. Wu Yun slipped through the window gap and crept stealthily along the eaves towards the stable. The secret passage was the Dragon Gate Inn’s biggest secret; he had to investigate it thoroughly.

Currently, Guyuan City was unstable. If the Jing Dynasty broke through the city gates, he would have to use this secret passage to get Zhang Zheng, Zhang Xia, and Xiao Man out.

As for the Crown Prince, the Chen family, and the Feathered Forest Army, they were not part of his plan.

Chen Ji indeed had a plan to approach the Crown Prince, a plan unrelated to the White Dragon or his future, yet it was crucial… But this didn’t mean he was prepared to die with the Crown Prince in Guyuan.

If this Crown Prince died, Emperor Ning would simply appoint a new one, and approaching the next would be just the same.

But before that, he had to confirm whether this secret passage truly existed.

Two hours later, Zhang Xia and the others were sound asleep, but Chen Ji still watched from the window gap. Xiao Wu still hadn’t returned. Perhaps he was guiding ‘stowaways’ through the secret passage, or perhaps…

The next moment, the sound of straw being stepped on came from the stable. Xiao Wu, now wearing a black padded jacket, rubbed his frozen hands, hunched his neck, and limped back into the inn.

Wu Yun silently squeezed back into the room through the window gap, letting out a soft meow. “It’s freezing. The inn’s waiter led two people into the secret passage under the stable. The passage is hidden beneath straw, covered by a wooden board. After the waiter went in, faint wailing sounds came from the passage. The wailing lasted a long time and only just stopped. There’s a smell of blood.”

Chen Ji’s heart jolted. That place beneath the stable wasn’t a secret passage for leaving; it was clearly this dark inn’s slaughterhouse!

The innkeeper had said that one of the rules for ‘opening the altar’ was that the inn would provide guests with a secret passage to leave Guyuan, to prevent them from being targeted by local strongmen for their substantial wealth.

How thoughtful.

Guests unaware of the truth entered the secret passage with the waiter, not knowing that the Dragon Gate Inn itself was the biggest strongman and the darkest inn in Guyuan City.

For all these years, people had spread rumors that the Dragon Gate Inn could secretly send people to the Jing Dynasty. Those ‘stowaways’ who came seeking this passage likely met a terrible end, becoming nothing but skeletal remains beneath this inn.

Wait, could the news that ‘people can be sent to the Jing Dynasty’ have been spread by the inn itself as bait? Stowaways wanting to leave would surely carry all their worldly possessions with them…

This Dragon Gate Inn has perfected the art of ‘villain preys on villain’!

Wu Yun looked up at Chen Ji. “Are you worried?”

Chen Ji hummed. He was worried. Now, without a secret passage to leave, if the Jing Dynasty truly broke into the city, how would he get Zhang Zheng and the others out safely?