Chapter 169

Chen Wuji was struck by knives and axes and taken to the Yunan County Office.

He didn't even have time to greet Huo Sanniang and the others, say a few comforting words.

However, the Shocking Heaven Thunder he had hidden in his bosom as a precaution remained unharmed.

Thus he was openly shoved into the county jail together with him.

Such a semi-underground building could definitely drive mad anyone who harbors sunshine in their heart.

The whole jail reeked of blood, decay, and feces so foul it made one doubt life.

Chen Wuji sat on a pile of dry grass that who knows how many prisoners had used, and he retched until the food he had eaten last month almost came back up.

Footsteps sounded in the corridor, and immediately several figures appeared outside the cell.

The leading person was none other than Yu Wu, an acquaintance Chen Wuji had met several times.

"Chen brother, we meet again, but I never imagined it would be under such circumstances!" Yu Wu's expression was somewhat complex, "Originally you could have easily earned some military merit, but now everything is gone."

Chen Wuji cursed Yu Wu's ancestors eighteen generations in his heart, then spoke calmly: "Yeah, I didn't expect to end up here either. I'm just a hunter, I haven't done anything illegal or disorderly—why am I here? Constable Yu, could you perhaps clear up my confusion?"

Yu Wu said in a low voice: "What's the deal with the recipe you sold to Li Si Fencha?"

"That's all there is to it—my family is poor and I have no way to continue, so I could only sell my children to get my father's fields, and sell some family heirlooms for a bit of silver." Chen Wuji said.

Yu Wu sighed: "Chen brother, we do have some acquaintance, and I hate to see you fall like this, but you won't say anything, so I can hardly help you. Speak the truth, and I'll do what I can to secure your freedom."

"That's the truth." Chen Wuji said frankly.

Yu Wu grew somewhat annoyed: "You're a hunter—how could you have such a family heirloom? Tell me, where did you steal that recipe from? Theft is only a minor offense; speaking up won't hurt."

Chen Wuji:...

He had just been worrying whether the matter of the Eight Immortals' Drunkenness had happened.

Now it seems, it's not that at all.

The core of Yu Wu's questioning has always revolved around the recipe; their goal is the recipe.

Damn, who the hell could have imagined this would become the reason he was thrown into jail.

Truly, it's like seeing a ghost.

But why is Yu Wu guiding him like this?

Chen Wuji shook his head, a hint of distress on his face, and said: "Constable Yu, although I'm just a petty hunter, I bear the surname Chen, and our family once enjoyed prosperity for a time; some family heirlooms are really not that unusual."

Yu Wu's expression unchanged: "Which Chen?"

"Must I say it?"

"Say it!"

"Fine, the Chen of Beijun!"

Chen Wuji decided to seize this opportunity to hold aloft his family's banner once more.

Hiding and skulking like a mouse cowering in the dark is meaningless.

As a family that even the Emperor once particularly feared, how could the Chen clan live so humbly in a land of exile? The path chosen by Chen Bushi and others is not wrong, but it's not right either. If this continues, it will only wear away the Chen clan's once‑prideful blood‑courage, turning them into beings at the mercy of others.

Since Nan Jun is already a den of snakes and rats and has already aroused the Emperor's sufficient wariness, what harm would there be in adding another clan that once made the Emperor extremely wary and has now declined?

What difference would a little more chaos make?

Perhaps the Emperor might still want to make use of them, that former bulwark of the state that once stood in Beijun.

Yu Wu's face shifted slightly: "What you're saying—is that the Beijun Chen clan I know of?"

"Yes, are you satisfied with that answer?" Chen Wuji said calmly, "I think no one would want to impersonate our clan unless they felt the thing hanging on their neck was superfluous."

"I understand. Someone, change his cell."

The jailer beside him, somewhat embarrassed, said: "Constable, this isn't according to regulations!"

"He's an old friend of mine—do you lecture me about regulations? Get lost!" Yu Wu shouted angrily.

The jailer shrank his neck, gave a sheepish laugh, clasped his fists, and accepted the order.

"Stay here for a while; I'll go consult the superior. I can't do much—just move you to a more comfortable place, and I'll have someone bring dinner over." Yu Wu said.

"Thank you!" Chen Wuji clasped his fists.

Although he knew Yu Wu was putting on an act, it at least brought some benefit, worth a word of thanks.

Yu Wu left the jail and hurried into the county office's administrative area.

"Chief Clerk Wang, the person has been found, but his background is somewhat complicated."

The chief clerk, with a gaunt face and a sparse tuft of beard under his chin, had his feet propped on the desk, holding a teapot, humming a little tune of unknown origin.

"How complicated?" Chief Clerk Wang raised his eyelids, his fingers lightly twisting, pulling at his long beard.

"He hails from the Beijun Chen clan; those recipes are all family heirlooms. I, your humble subordinate, think what he says could be true—indeed, in this world there ought to be no one foolish enough to impersonate the Beijun Chen clan." Yu Wu said.

Chief Clerk Wang's expression shifted slightly; he drew his feet back from the desk, sat upright, and asked: "The Beijun Chen clan has drifted to Yunan? How many of their clansmen are there?"

"I don't know." Yu Wu shook his head. "There aren't many Chens in Xishan Village, but the Chen surname seems to be a major clan throughout Yunan and even Nan Jun—I just don't know whether they're all related to the Beijun Chen clan."

"It's quite possible that when the Beijun Chen clan was at its height, imperial orders didn't reach them." Chief Clerk Wang murmured, a sly smile forming on his face, "I originally just wanted to skim a little profit off the side, but I never expected to haul in such a big fish. Beijun Chen clan—should we slap a charge of rebellion on them and snag some minor merit?"

"Hiss… no, no, the Emperor already suspects Nan Jun deeply; if we now bring up a rebellion case, we'll likely gain nothing and instead hand the Emperor a lever, allowing him to justifiably station troops in Nan Jun."

"The more people, the more power—some layouts would have to be disrupted, it's not worth it, not worth it!"

"I've heard the Beijun Chen clan trains troops best under heaven; I don't know how much of that strength remains in this generation. Why not force them to rebel first to test their mettle, then make use of them for myself?"

Yu Wu gazed at the muttering chief clerk, the corner of his mouth twitching: "Chief Clerk Wang, forcing the Chen clan to rebel might have serious consequences—if they still retain even a fraction of their former strength, it could turn out badly."

"You make sense, but your talk is useless. When you have nothing to do, you'd do well to learn from those courtesans and keep your mouth shut, tighten it up!" Chief Clerk Wang glanced at Yu Wu, let out a light snort, "First, feed him well, I'll go see the superior—this matter still needs the superior's approval."

Chief Clerk Wang rose, swaying side to side as he muttered while leaving the room: "All fine and dandy—how did we end up with a Beijun Chen clan? Really just adding trouble."

Yu Wu's eyes flashed with a gloom, he quickly glanced at Chief Clerk Wang's back, then also left the room.

…

Xishan Village, the Chen clan ancestral hall.

Chen Bushi respectfully offered a stick of pure incense to the ancestors, then turned and looked at the Chen clan people behind him.

"Wuji is the most promising MainVein Zi among our two generations; what I mean is, the Chen clan should also unsheathe the knife! We have fought for the country, yet the state regards us as a flood and ferocious beast, guarding against us everywhere; now we have even fallen to this point. I don't want our descendants to continue living like this."

"Who is in favor, who is against? Let everyone speak."