readytorunbook Chapter 891 Secret Letter and Murderous Intent
Chapter 891 Secret Letter and Murderous Intent
Back at Tingxuexuan, Bai Jie immediately locked the door and drew all the curtains, plunging the room into darkness. She took out the black oilcloth package from her bosom, her heart pounding with excitement and nervousness.
She took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself, and then carefully unwrapped the oilcloth layer by layer. Inside was not the gold and silver jewelry or weapon blueprints she had imagined, but a palm-sized, exquisitely crafted black wooden box. The box was carved with intricate cloud patterns, and the clasp was made of brass with a small "Di" character engraved on it.
Upon seeing the character "Di," Bai Jie's pupils suddenly contracted. It really was the Northern Di!
She tried to open the wooden box, but the brass lock was tight and required a key. Bai Jie thought for a moment, then took a gold hairpin from her hair, carefully inserted it into the keyhole, and gently turned it. She had previously learned a few lock-picking skills from an old servant in the manor who was skilled at it, and she never expected it would come in handy today.
With a soft "click," the copper lock opened.
Bai Jie opened the wooden box, inside which was only a tightly rolled parchment. She unfolded the parchment, on which were written dense symbols and lines in a script she had never seen before, resembling either a map or some kind of code. In the lower right corner of the parchment was a ferocious wolf's head mark—the emblem of the Northern Di royal family!
Although she couldn't understand the text, Bai Jie was certain that it was definitely from the Northern Di, and it was very likely a secret letter or map marking the location and route of the Black Wind Pass transaction!
She suppressed the urge to immediately send the "evidence" out of the manor. No, now was not the time. Zheng Hongyuan was naturally suspicious, and if she made any unusual moves now after receiving the package, it would easily arouse his suspicion. Moreover, she needed to confirm who the "man in black with a scar on his left eye" at the "Welcoming Guests" inn was, and what the phrase "the goods are ready, just waiting for the right opportunity" really meant.
Bai Jie quickly wrapped the parchment and wooden box back up as they were and hid them in a very well-concealed secret compartment under the bed. She had discovered this compartment by chance when she first entered the mansion, and for many years it had served as her secret hideout for storing personal belongings and transmitting urgent intelligence.
Only after doing all this did she feel a little more at ease.
Over the next two days, Bai Jie became even more cautious. She maintained a regular schedule and, except for necessary shopping trips, almost never left the house, strictly following Zheng Hongyuan's instructions to "stay in the room and not move around unnecessarily." This made Lao Liu, Zheng Hongyuan's trusted confidant who was secretly monitoring her, lower his guard.
On the evening of the third day, Lao Liu indeed arrived at Tingxuexuan.
"Miss Bai, the patriarch instructed you to prepare. At three-quarters past 9 PM, I will escort you to the Yingkelai Inn in the south of the city," Old Liu said expressionlessly. He was Zheng Hongyuan's confidant and rarely showed a friendly face to anyone.
"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Liu," Bai Jie replied politely, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. She knew that the real test had only just begun.
At 3:45 PM, the night was as dark as ink. Old Liu drove an inconspicuous blue cloth carriage, carrying Bai Jie, silently out of the back gate of the Zheng residence, heading south of the city.
Throughout the journey, Bai Jie kept her eyes closed, appearing calm but actually listening intently to the sounds outside the carriage, silently noting the route and time it took. She could sense that the carriage was driving very cautiously, deliberately choosing to travel through secluded and deserted alleys, clearly to avoid being seen.
Half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the back door of the Yingkelai Inn. It was a very ordinary-looking inn located in the slums of the south of the city, and business was not booming on weekdays.
“Miss Bai, we’ve arrived. Go in through the back door, up to the second floor, and the innermost room is ‘Room Number One.’ Remember the head of the family’s instructions: give the item to the man with the scar on his left eye and deliver that message. I’ll wait for you here. You must come out within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.” Old Liu whispered, his tone carrying an unquestionable command.
"I understand." Bai Jie nodded, straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, pushed open the car door, and quickly slipped into the back door of the inn.
The inn was dimly lit, filled with the stench of cheap liquor and sweat. A few scattered guests were drinking alone in a corner, while the waiter dozed off at the counter. Bai Jie kept her head down, trying not to attract attention, and quickly climbed the creaking wooden stairs.
The second-floor corridor was even darker, with only a flickering oil lamp hanging at the door of the room at the end. Bai Jie walked to the door of "Room Number One," hesitated for a moment, and then gently knocked on the door, following the previously agreed-upon code: three long knocks followed by two short knocks.
There was no response from inside the door.
Bai Jie's heart sank. Had something gone wrong? She knocked again, but there was still no response.
Just as she was about to knock again, the door creaked open a crack. A cold gaze shot out from the gap and landed on Bai Jie's face.
"Did you bring the things?" a hoarse, deep voice asked, with a heavy foreign accent.
Bai Jie suppressed her unease and nodded: "I brought it. You are...?"
The person through the crack in the door seemed to sized her up before slowly opening the door and stepping aside to let her in.
Bai Jie entered the room, and a strong smell of blood and mutton hit her, making her almost nauseous. The room was dimly lit, with only an oil lamp on the table providing illumination. A tall man dressed in black stood with his back to her by the window, gazing at the dark night sky. His hair was blond and braided into several rough plaits.
Hearing footsteps, the man slowly turned around.
Bai Jie's pupils suddenly contracted! Sure enough, there was a hideous scar on the man's left cheek, stretching from the corner of his eye to his jaw, making his already fierce face even more terrifying. But what truly terrified Bai Jie were his eyes—filled with a violent and murderous aura, like a hungry wolf on the prairie.
"Where is the stuff?" the scarred man asked again, his gaze fixed on Bai Jie as if trying to see right through her.
Bai Jie composed herself, took out the black oilcloth package from her bosom, and handed it over: "Here. My master asked me to deliver a message: 'The goods are ready, just waiting for the right opportunity.'"
The scarred man took the package but didn't open it immediately. Instead, he stared intently at Bai Jie with his wolf-like eyes: "When will 'East Wind' arrive?"
Bai Jie's heart skipped a beat; this was exactly what she wanted to know! Following her pre-prepared words, she deliberately feigned a troubled expression: "My master said that the 'East Wind' will arrive soon, and someone will inform you of the specific time later. He asked me to ask you, sir, whether you are satisfied with the 'goods'?"
The scarred man grinned, revealing a set of yellow teeth, his smile filled with cruelty: "As long as the 'goods' are genuine, I'll be satisfied. Go back and tell your master that three days from now, at midnight, at Black Wind Pass, the usual place. Tell him to have the 'goods' ready. We'll exchange money for goods. If he dares to try anything funny..." He patted the curved sword at his waist, making a clanging metallic sound, "This sword doesn't discriminate!"
Three days later! Midnight! Black Wind Pass! The usual spot!
Bai Jie's heart pounded! She had finally obtained the most crucial information! The time and place of the transaction were all there!
"I will pass on the message." Bai Jie tried her best to keep her voice calm.
The scarred man seemed impatient and waved his hand, saying, "Get lost!"
Bai Jie felt as if she had been granted a pardon and turned to leave.
However, just as she reached the door and was about to open it, a sharp killing intent suddenly attacked from behind!
Bai Jie was terrified; her years of undercover work had given her an extremely keen sense of danger. Without thinking, she lunged to the side!
"Swoosh!" A poisoned short arrow grazed her shoulder and embedded itself deeply in the door panel. The arrow's fletching trembled on its own, and the black venom quickly corroded a small black hole in the wooden door panel!
It's a trap! Neither Zheng Hongyuan nor this Northern Di person intended for her to return alive!