Chapter 23
After several weeks of travel, the three finally arrived at the gates of the capital. Due to the recent unrest, the city gates were tightly shut, barring entry and exit. Brother Wu stopped the carriage, disembarked, and explained their purpose to the guards, but they were refused entry. Defeated, he returned to the carriage to inform the others.
Of the three, Brother Wu held the highest rank, being the captain of the Governor’s personal guards. Ah Qi was merely a lowly guard from Chen Family Village, and Li Xinjun was a commoner with no official title. They were at an impasse, unsure how to gain access to the city.
Li Xinjun remembered the token Minister Chen had given her. Perhaps it would be of use. She took the token and approached the gate, presenting it to the guards.
“I am Li Xinjun. The Emperor and Minister Chen have summoned me to the capital to assist with the unrest. This is Minister Chen’s token. Please open the gates and let us in.”
The guards, recognizing the token’s authenticity, sent one of their men to inform the guards on the wall. Soon, the gates slowly opened.
“Miss Li, you may enter.”
“Thank you.”
Li Xinjun returned to the carriage, and Brother Wu drove them through the gates. The streets, usually bustling with activity, were deserted. Every house and shop had its doors and windows tightly shut. As they made their way through the city, they encountered a detachment of heavily armored cavalry patrolling the streets. The cavalrymen, seeing their carriage, approached them.
“Who are you? Why are you disobeying the Emperor’s decree and traveling on the streets?”
“Sir, we are soldiers from the Governor’s Mansion. We are escorting Miss Li Xinjun, who has been summoned to the capital. Please allow us to pass and find Minister Chen. Here is Minister Chen’s token.”
Brother Wu took the token from Li Xinjun and presented it to the cavalry captain, who nodded in acknowledgment.
“Very well, but please wait a moment.”
The captain signaled to one of his men, who stepped forward, took out a glass bottle from his pocket, and splashed its contents on Brother Wu and Ah Qi. Brother Wu was drenched in chicken blood.
He stared at the soldier in disbelief, blood dripping from his hair and into his eyes. He wiped his eyes, smearing blood across his face. Ah Qi, who had been standing behind Brother Wu, had only been slightly splattered. He burst out laughing.
“Pfft!”
Brother Wu, enraged, shouted at the soldier, “What the hell was that for?!” He lunged at the soldier, wanting to punch him, but the captain stopped him.
“Calm down, brother, calm down. We are just following orders. We’re using blood to confirm that you are not jiangshi.”
“Are you kidding me? Is this how you confirm it? What if I was a slow-transforming jiangshi and turned after you splashed me? Would you splash me again?”
As if on cue, another cavalryman stepped forward and splashed another bottle of blood on Brother Wu, turning him into a blood-soaked mess. Blood had even gotten into his mouth, making him gag.
Ah Qi, who had been trying to suppress his laughter, finally lost it, clutching his stomach and pointing at Brother Wu’s miserable state.
“Hahaha! Hahaha!” Brother Wu, unable to tolerate his mockery, lunged at Ah Qi.
“Let’s see if you’re still laughing! Let’s see!”
Brother Wu tackled Ah Qi, raining punches and kicks on him. He then grabbed Ah Qi and rubbed his blood-soaked body against him, turning Ah Qi into another blood-soaked mess.
The cavalrymen, seeing that they hadn’t transformed after their roughhousing, were satisfied. They escorted them to the Grand General’s Mansion. Ah Qi and Brother Wu, grumbling and covered in blood, followed the cavalrymen in their carriage. Upon reaching the mansion, the captain dismounted and spoke to the guards at the gate. The guards then allowed Li Xinjun and the others to enter.
They were escorted to the guest hall and offered seats. Li Xinjun sat down, while Ah Qi and Brother Wu, not wanting to soil the furniture with their blood-soaked clothes, stood behind her. Soon, footsteps approached, and the door opened. Minister Chen entered, accompanied by a tall, muscular man with white hair.
Minister Chen, following behind the older man, greeted Li Xinjun with a smile.
“Grand General, this is Miss Li Xinjun, whom I have often spoken of.” He then turned to Li Xinjun. “Miss Li, this is Grand General Duoluo.”
“Greetings, Miss Li. I have heard much about you from Minister Chen. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. You are indeed an exceptional young woman.”
“Thank you, General. I have merely done my small part. I haven’t contributed much.”
“It is commendable that you are so dedicated to serving your country and its people at such a young age. You are a blessing to the Qing Dynasty.”
“All credit goes to Doctor Song. I merely assisted her.”
Seeing that they had been introduced, Minister Chen got straight to the point, explaining the situation in the capital to Li Xinjun. Recently, human-like jiangshi had appeared in the city, and many people had been harmed. The situation was dire when Minister Chen arrived.
Fortunately, he had informed the Emperor about the events in Chen Family Village. The Emperor immediately ordered a lockdown of the capital, preventing anyone from entering or leaving to contain the jiangshi outbreak.
Since these jiangshi were difficult to identify, more and more people were being bitten, and their numbers were increasing rapidly. The Emperor issued an edict, ordering everyone to stay indoors and only allowing them to leave their homes during specific hours to purchase food and necessities.
This made it easier for the soldiers to identify the jiangshi. Since most people wouldn’t dare to disobey the Emperor’s decree, those who risked venturing out were likely jiangshi, driven by their need for blood.
To avoid harming innocent citizens, the soldiers carried bottles of chicken blood. They would use the scent of blood to provoke a reaction from anyone they encountered on the streets. This explained why Brother Wu and Ah Qi had been splashed with blood earlier.
Brother Wu, listening to Minister Chen’s explanation, couldn’t help but feel indignant. The cavalrymen could have simply splashed the chicken blood on the ground to test them. Why did they have to drench him in it? He fumed silently, memorizing the faces of the soldiers who had splashed him. He would get his revenge one day.
“Minister Chen, Grand General, I believe these measures might not be enough. Perhaps you should consider going door-to-door and using blood as bait. Any jiangshi hiding inside will be unable to resist the temptation and will transform. This way, we can identify and eliminate them more quickly.”
Grand General Duoluo stroked his beard, impressed by Li Xinjun’s suggestion. He immediately ordered the patrol teams to split into two groups: one to continue patrolling the streets and the other to search every house.
“Hahaha, young lady, you are indeed as intelligent as Minister Chen described. You must be tired from your journey. I will have rooms prepared for you. You can stay here at the mansion.”
The Grand General, pleased with Li Xinjun’s insight, offered them hospitality. They were escorted to their respective rooms. Ah Qi and Brother Wu, finally having the opportunity to change, gratefully shed their blood-soaked clothes.
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