"?"
The misunderstanding was profound. Ji Xiang was momentarily stunned, and the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace turned ashen: "What nonsense are you spouting, you Korean official, here in the street!"
What did he mean by "none"? Was he calling Daoist Ji a eunuch in the street?
In an instant, the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace thought of many things. He wondered who had ordered this Korean official to cause trouble, perhaps officials in the court. Considering recent events, he suspected it might be that old man Liu Yingqiu!
A political drama unfolded in his mind.
He immediately ordered a young eunuch to seize Liu Mengyin!
Liu Mengyin's expression remained terrified. Only when he saw Ji Xiang did his spirits calm, and he gasped for breath. He had been running wildly, making it difficult to speak. He was gasping for air and about to explain when he suddenly saw those children.
The children had initially stood with Ji Xiang, showing no abnormalities. But then, as the children moved away from Ji Xiang, Liu Mengyin saw iron chains hanging from the necks of these children!
He was greatly alarmed and, forgetting to explain, hastily said:
"No, *huff*... you can't leave! You've got it! Come here, *pant*, come here!"
"Are you mad!"
The Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace grabbed Liu Mengyin by his collar. Liu Mengyin stared at the Grand Eunuch for a moment. Ji Xiang had not yet approached. Liu Mengyin blinked and said fearfully, "Huff... you've got it too, you've got it!"
In Liu Mengyin's eyes, the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace also had a thick chain around his neck!
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, was suddenly taken aback, then flew into a rage:
"You, what are you saying!"
"You're talking nonsense! I haven't had anything between my legs for years!"
Liu Mengyin nodded repeatedly at the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace, his eyes wide with terror, "You've got it, you really have it!"
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, had a contorted face!
"You think I'm actually angry (gritting my teeth) right now!"
"Creating something out of nothing, are we?"
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, casually grabbed a large rag from a nearby stall, tossed a few coins, and said, "No need for change." The stall owner was overjoyed.
He stuffed the large rag into Liu Mengyin's mouth.
"I'll stuff your mouth shut!"
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, looked extremely displeased: "How can Korea have such a madman as an official? If I weren't busy, I'd have you escorted to the Ministry of Rites immediately!"
Liu Mengyin gasped repeatedly, "I, *huff*, I mean... *muffled sounds*!"
The eunuchs beside him had already gagged his mouth and held down his head. Liu Mengyin's eyes were wide, and he couldn't speak, only making muffled sounds.
Even Ji Xiang shook his head, thinking that there were indeed oddities among mortals.
"Your Excellency, wait a moment. He seems to want to explain."
"Explain what? Such a madman. I'll have him escorted to the Ministry of Rites shortly. Lord Ji need not mind."
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, smiled at Ji Xiang, then looked at the surrounding onlookers and suddenly changed his demeanor, shouting, "What are you looking at? Disperse, all of you!"
It was foreseeable that Liu Mengyin's public fit of madness would become a topic of gossip among the populace in every street and alley.
Moreover, once the Ministry of Rites learned of this matter, they would inevitably summon the Korean envoy. It remained to be seen how Liu Mengyin would be disciplined by his own countrymen upon his return.
Liu Mengyin's eyes were filled with terror and pleading as he made muffled sounds towards Ji Xiang. However, the young eunuchs, though not strong individually, were many, and they held him firmly. Liu Mengyin, clad in military attire, was a scholar and lacked the strength to break free. After struggling for a while, he lost his strength.
"Let him speak. Look how anxious he is."
Ji Xiang smiled and bid farewell to the children. The children waved enthusiastically, making Liu Mengyin anxious again.
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, ordered Liu Mengyin to be brought along: "Very well, as Lord Ji wishes. We shall listen to whatever absurdities this fellow has to say. But there are too many people here. Let's go to the West City to discuss it."
"We are almost there."
They proceeded down the street and had already reached the West City. Compared to the bustling Asahi Market they had just left, the West City had a much smaller crowd.
In this era, Beijing's West City was not a good place. It lacked amenities and was the poorest of the four districts within the inner city of Shuntian.
After turning a corner, along the western wall of the Imperial City, there was a road. Walking about two-thirds of the way to the west wall, they turned left into a place called Bozi Hutong.
"Bozi" referred to curtains woven from reeds. Many people sold such curtains here, making it a wholesale market within the inner city. From here, one could see the walls of the Imperial City.
Upon reaching the West City, they stood at the foot of the Imperial City wall. The gag was removed from Liu Mengyin's mouth, and he began to retch repeatedly. Those around him showed looks of disgust. Once Liu Mengyin had finished spitting, the Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, reprimanded him:
"Have you finished spitting? Lord Ji wishes to hear what you have to say. I warn you, if you utter any more nonsense, you will be sent back to your Joseon that very night by the Ministry of Rites!"
"Alright, alright!"
Liu Mengyin raised his hands repeatedly, calming his heaving chest. He then looked at Ji Xiang and the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace and explained, "When I said 'got it,' I didn't mean it in that sense. Those children shouldn't have been let go!"
"I saw that on the necks of everyone in the street, there were iron chains, like the chains used by the underworld to capture souls!"
"He, no, this Lord, this young Lord, he had none on him. He was the only one without!"
Liu Mengyin tried to explain to the Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace, but the Grand Eunuch looked at him as if he were an idiot.
"Do you think I'm a fool?"
"I dare not! Your Excellency, why would you say that!"
Liu Mengyin pointed to the sky, "Everything I say is true! It's really there. Look, they have them on their necks too!"
As he spoke, he pointed to some passersby on the street. The pedestrians, hearing Liu Mengyin's loud exclamations, frowned. Hearing the strange words in Liu Mengyin's speech, the pedestrians touched their necks, finding nothing unusual.
They then looked at Liu Mengyin's attire. He was an official, but his clothes were different from those of the Ming dynasty officials. He wore a red military uniform. They didn't recognize his rank and quickly moved on.
Ji Xiang chuckled and teased:
"What do they have on their necks? Mud?"
"Chains!"
The Grand Eunuch of the Imperial Palace snorted:
"Looking at you, are you so desperate to get into the Imperial Prison? Do you want to put something around your own neck so badly?"
The Grand Eunuch, the Director of the Imperial Palace, felt that he had seen many madmen, but he had never encountered someone who actively fantasized about being a prisoner and wanting to eat prison food!
Ji Xiang, with a smile, looked at the Korean official before him and suddenly noticed something peculiar about his eyes. The feeling was hard to describe, and it drew Ji Xiang's attention:
"You say they all have chains on their necks, and of everyone, only I am without?"
Liu Mengyin quickly replied:
"That's right, Young Master's neck is without! When those children were close to Young Master, their necks were also without chains, but once they moved away, they reappeared!"
"Everything I say is true, without any falsehood. I don't know why, but everyone else seems unable to see it!"
Ji Xiang pointed to Liu Mengyin's eyes: "There is something wrong with your eyes."
The Grand Eunuch nodded: "Yes, I see that your eyes are being deceived by a demon!"
Ji Xiang quickly said, "No, no, no, they are not deceived, nor have you encountered any illusionary arts. Someone under an illusionary art would not have such clear eyes."
"There is something wrong with your eyes."
Ji Xiang searched his memory. In the past, his former self had heard his slovenly master speak of the peculiar nature of people's eyes. He spoke with recollection, stating:
"...Those with green eyes can see the true form of demons, and those with white eyes can see the forms of ghosts and monsters."
"But your eyes are neither green nor white. Come closer, let me have a good look."