"?"

The misunderstanding in those words ran deep. Ji Xiang was stunned for a moment, and the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Accoutrements immediately turned ashen. "What nonsense are you spouting in the street, you Korean official!"

What do you mean "didn't have"? Was he publicly calling Daoist Ji a eunuch?

In an instant, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Accoutrements thought of many things. For example, who had ordered this Korean official to cause trouble? Probably those censors in the court. And thinking about recent events, could it be that old man Liu Yingqiu had sent him?

In his mind, a drama of factional strife unfolded.

He immediately ordered the young eunuchs to seize Liu Mengyin!

Liu Mengyin still looked terrified, only calming down slightly when he saw Ji Xiang. The frantic running had left him breathless and unable to speak properly. He was gasping for air, about to explain, when he suddenly saw the children.

At first, the children were standing with Ji Xiang and seemed normal. But then, as they moved away from Ji Xiang, Liu Mengyin saw iron chains around each of their necks!

He was shocked and, forgetting his explanation, he hurriedly said:

"No, *huh huh*... you can't leave! You have it now! Come here, *gasp*, come here!"

"Are you crazy!"

The Grand Eunuch grabbed Liu Mengyin's collar. Liu Mengyin stared at the Grand Eunuch for a moment. Ji Xiang hadn't approached yet. Liu Mengyin blinked, frightened. "Huh huh... You have it too, you have it!"

In Liu Mengyin's eyes, a thick chain was also around the Grand Eunuch's neck!

The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Accoutrements was stunned, then flew into a rage:

"You, what did you say!"

Having it my ass, that thing under my crotch has been gone for years!

Liu Mengyin nodded repeatedly at the Grand Eunuch, his eyes wide with terror. "You have it, you really have it!"

The Grand Eunuch's face twisted!

Look at me now, I'm totally not angry (gnashing his teeth)!

Creating something from nothing, are you?

The Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Imperial Accoutrements grabbed a large rag from a nearby stall, threw down a few coins, and said, "Keep the change!" The stall owner was overjoyed.

He stuffed the rag into Liu Mengyin's mouth.

"I'll shut your mouth for you!"

The Grand Eunuch's face was extremely ugly. "How can Korea have such a madman as an official? If I didn't have important business, I would have sent you to the Ministry of Rites immediately!"

Liu Mengyin was panting. "I, huh huh, I mean... mmm!"

The eunuchs beside him had already stuffed his mouth, holding his head down. Liu Mengyin stared, unable to speak.

Even Ji Xiang shook his head, thinking that there were indeed oddballs in the world.

"Your Excellency, wait a moment, he seems to want to explain."

"Explain what? I'll send this madman to the Ministry of Rites later. Master Ji, don't mind him."

The Grand Eunuch smiled at Ji Xiang, then glared at the surrounding onlookers. "What are you looking at? Disperse!"

Predictably, the story of Liu Mengyin going mad in the street would become a topic of conversation among the people.

And when the Ministry of Rites learned of this, they would surely summon the Korean envoy. Who knows how Liu Mengyin would be punished by his own people when he returned?

Liu Mengyin's eyes were full of terror and pleading, making noises at Ji Xiang, but the young eunuchs, though not strong, were numerous, so they held him tightly. Liu Mengyin was wearing military uniform, but he was a typical scholar and didn't have much strength. Naturally, he couldn't break free. After struggling for a while, he ran out of strength.

"Let him speak, he looks anxious."

Ji Xiang smiled. At this moment, he bid farewell to the children, who waved vigorously. Liu Mengyin became even more anxious and frustrated.

The Grand Eunuch ordered his men to take Liu Mengyin away. "Then we'll listen to Master Ji. We'll hear what absurd things this fellow has to say. But there are too many people here, let's go to the West City."

"We're almost there."

Following the street, they reached the West City. Compared to the bustling market just now, there were fewer people in the West City.

In this era, the West City of Beijing wasn't a good place. It lacked everything and was the poorest of the four districts within the inner city of Shuntian Prefecture.

After passing a corner, along the west wall of the imperial city, there was a road that led straight to two-thirds of the west wall. Turning left, there was an alley called Bozi Hutong.

*Bozi* were reed curtains. Many people sold these curtains in this place, which was a wholesale market. It was a district within the inner city, and you could see the wall of the imperial city when you stepped out.

Having arrived at the West City, the group stood at the foot of the imperial city wall. The rag was removed from Liu Mengyin's mouth, and he vomited repeatedly. The surrounding people looked disgusted. When Liu Mengyin was done vomiting, the Grand Eunuch rebuked:

"Have you vomited enough? Master Ji wants to hear you, so tell us what you have to say. I warn you, if you utter a single word of nonsense, you'll be rushed back to Korea by the Ministry of Rites tonight!"

"Alright, alright!"

Liu Mengyin raised his hands repeatedly, calming his chest, then looked at Ji Xiang and the Grand Eunuch, explaining, "When I said 'have it,' I didn't mean *that* 'have it.' Those children shouldn't have been allowed to leave!"

"I saw that everyone on the street had iron chains around their necks, like the chains used by the netherworld to seize souls!"

"He, no, this gentleman, this young gentleman, didn't have them. He was the only one who didn't have them!"

Liu Mengyin explained to the Grand Eunuch, but the Grand Eunuch gave him a "are you kidding me?" expression.

"Do you think I'm a fool?"

"I wouldn't dare! Why does Your Excellency say that!"

Liu Mengyin pointed to the sky. "Everything I said is true! They really have them, look, they have them on their necks too!"

As he spoke, he pointed at some passersby on the street. The passersby frowned, hearing Liu Mengyin's shouts, and when they heard the strange things Liu Mengyin was saying, they touched their necks, finding nothing unusual.

Then they looked at Liu Mengyin's attire. He was an official, but his clothes were different from those of the Beijing officials of the Great Ming. He was wearing a red military uniform, and they didn't recognize him, so they could only leave in a hurry.

Ji Xiang chuckled, teasing:

"What's on their necks? Mud?"

"Chains!"

The Grand Eunuch snorted:

"The way I see it, you're so crazy that you want to get into the Imperial Prison? Do you really want to put something around your neck?"

The Grand Eunuch said that he had seen many madmen, but he had never seen one who actively imagined himself as a prisoner and wanted to go to jail for food!

Ji Xiang smiled, looking at the Korean official before him, and suddenly noticed that the other man's eyes were particularly clear. It was difficult to describe the feeling, which made Ji Xiang pay attention:

"You say they all have chains around their necks, and of all people, only I don't?"

Liu Mengyin quickly said:

"That's right, young gentleman doesn't have them! When those children were near young gentleman, they didn't have chains around their necks either, but once they moved away, they had them again!"

"Everything I said is true, I'm not lying at all. I don't know why, but no one else seems to be able to see them!"

Ji Xiang pointed at Liu Mengyin's eyes. "There's something wrong with your eyes."

The Grand Eunuch nodded. "Yes, I think your eyes have been deceived by a demon!"

Ji Xiang quickly said, "No, no, it's not that they've been deceived, nor that he's encountered some kind of illusion. A person who's been deceived by an illusion can't have such clear eyes."

"There's something wrong with your eyes."

Ji Xiang searched his memories. In the past, his former self had heard his slovenly master talk about the strangeness of people's eyes. His tone was reminiscent as he spoke:

"... Those with green eyes can see the true form of demons, those with white eyes can see the form of ghosts and monsters."

"But your eyes are neither green nor white. Come closer, let me take a good look."