69novels Chapter 209 You are not the guest I'm truly waiting for.
Chapter 209 You are not the guest I'm truly waiting for.
Chapter 209 You are not the guest I'm truly waiting for.
"Myself?" Tan Sitong was even more puzzled.
"The imperial court, the people," Chen Wen slowly uttered these two words.
Tan Sitong was stunned, but then he realized what was happening!
Yes!
He's already said it!
The imperial court! The people!
Standing atop the Golden Palace in the Forbidden City, the Blood Flag Army was clearly a traitorous rebellion, a demon that had to be eradicated.
Standing in the fields of Lingnan, in the eyes of the people who had suffered endless exploitation, the Blood Flag Army was a bodhisattva who drove away corrupt officials and saved them from suffering!
Different stances and perspectives naturally lead to contradictory statements.
Therefore, those seemingly contradictory rumors are actually all true.
Because those words reflect the views of different people and different interest groups!
"I see! I see!"
Tan Sitong finally understood his doubts and couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh.
Jiu Jin was completely confused, scratching his head: "Then—did he drink human blood or not?"
Chen Wen was initially pleased with Tan Sitong's reaction, but upon hearing this, he was taken aback: "The Blood Flag Army did indeed have a 'blood oath' ceremony to demonstrate unity of purpose and shared destiny."
"But it's definitely not about drinking human blood!"
"As for rumors, demonization, or deification, they are just gossip."
Chen Wen looked at Jiu Jin, half joking and half sighing.
"But you always have such a unique focus. No wonder your young master often has headaches because of you, and there's always a worry in your eyes."
Jiu Jin was taken aback, then quickly waved his hands, "No, no! Young Master is often like this, frowning as he thinks things through. It has nothing to do with how much I talk!"
Tan Sitong was taken aback, and subconsciously touched his brow: "Is my worry so obvious?"
Jiu Jin and Liang Kuan nodded almost simultaneously.
Chen Wen looked at Tan Sitong and sighed softly: "Brother Tan, there's no need to worry. Those who are concerned about the country are always the ones who grieve for the ages."
"Patriotism—heartbreak—" Tan Sitong repeated these two words in a low voice, as if his heartstrings had been touched.
He raised his head, his gaze towards Chen Wen becoming complex and profound, with a faint glimmer of light.
"I see—it seems Brother Chen is also a 'fellow traveler'?"
Chen Wen met his self-sunlight and smiled slightly, a smile that was frank yet enigmatic: "Our states of mind may be similar, but the paths we take may not be the same."
Tan Sitong frowned upon hearing this.
I guessed wrong?
No, if the other person were truly one of those he suspected, they wouldn't be able to offer such insights.
Of course, we're fellow travelers!
But why did the other party say we're going the same way?
What exactly is the difference?
Tan Sitong couldn't understand it, but at this moment he was completely certain that the mysterious Mr. Chen in front of him was no ordinary merchant.
His knowledge, thoughts, plans, and considerations probably far exceed his previous imagination.
Who exactly is this person? And what are their motives?
Just then.
The restaurant owner jogged over and said to Chen Wen, "Sir, your distinguished guest has arrived. Would you like to order now?"
Tan Sitong was taken aback by these words and looked at Chen Wen: "Brother Chen—were you waiting for me?"
Chen Wen's expression was somewhat complicated, and he seemed a little embarrassed: "Yes, and no."
"I have long admired Brother Tan's name and longed to meet him. It is truly an honor to meet him today."
"However, the person I am waiting for here today is actually another important guest."
"only----"
As Chen Wen spoke, his tone shifted abruptly, his gaze seemingly casually drifting towards the outside of the shop, a hint of amusement in his voice: "Since Brother Tan happens to be here today, it seems—later, there might be another rather unpleasant customer arriving!"
Tan Sitong was even more confused after hearing the explanation.
His brows were furrowed.
An important guest? An annoying guest? And this unexpected guest?
Who is this person waiting for?
His words and actions suggested he knew everything, but what exactly did he know? And what was he plotting?
Before he could figure it out, a sudden commotion and chaos erupted outside the shop!
"What happened?" Jiu Jin was the first to jump up and look outside.
Everyone stood up and looked over.
On the street, several men dressed in blue riding camels were seen rushing into the town.
Behind them followed a group of men dressed in the same blue uniforms, with fierce expressions, who were driving away pedestrians and vendors on the street.
The leader, a scarred man, shouted in a booming voice, brandishing a knife: "Listen up, everyone! Get back inside! Close the doors and windows, and shut your mouths! Anyone who dares to look out or utter a word more will have their eyes gouged out and their tongue cut out!"
The other customers in the store were immediately thrown into a panic.
They quickly shrank their necks and hurriedly hid in the backyard or upstairs rooms.
Liang Kuan was furious when he saw someone bullying the common people.
But just as he stood up, he heard a loud slap next to him!
Jiu Jin slammed his fist on the table, roaring, "In broad daylight, someone dares to act so arrogantly and commit such heinous acts! I'll go teach them a lesson!"
As he spoke, Jiu Jin was about to rush out.
"Jiujin! Come back!" Tan Sitong quickly grabbed her. "The situation is unclear, don't act rashly!"
Chen Wen nodded and said to Tan Sitong, "Brother Tan is right. The situation is unclear, so let's not act rashly. Let's go upstairs together and take shelter for now."
As he spoke, he gestured for Liang Kuan to follow.
"Huh? Together?"
Tan Sitong felt helpless. He had already discovered that Chen Wen's identity was suspicious and wanted to take the opportunity to separate them.
But the group of men in blue outside clearly had ill intentions, and the streets were already in chaos, so acting alone would be dangerous.
After a moment's consideration, he had no choice but to suppress his thoughts and, along with Jiu Jin, Chen Wen and Liang Kuan, went together.
He hurried up to the second floor and found an empty room nearby to hide inside.
Outside the street.
The men in blue had taken control of the entire town, moving back and forth through the streets, roughly driving away the remaining pedestrians and vendors, ordering the shops on both sides to close immediately, their voices fierce and urgent: "Get out of the way! Pack up! Close!"
"If you dawdle any longer, my knife won't discriminate!"
"Get out of my way! Don't get in my way!"
In just a short while, the already desolate town streets became like a ghost town, completely deserted.
Those people in blue clothes also hid in the surrounding houses or behind walls.
Jiu Jin, peering through the crack in the window, whispered, "Young Master, these people are clearly up to no good! They're acting suspiciously; they're definitely up to something bad! Why don't we strike first, catch their leader, and get the truth out of them!"
Liang Kuan looked at Jiu Jin with some surprise: "You know martial arts?"
Jiu Jin glared at him: "What? You look down on me? I've been following the young master since I was a child, and I've learned a few tricks of fist and stick fighting!"
"Nine catties! Don't be reckless!" Tan Sitong lowered his voice, his tone serious. "It's good to strike first, but acting rashly might bring even greater disaster!"
"Moreover—judging from their attire and behavior, they're probably from the Blue Lantern Society."
"The Blue Lanterns?" Leung Foon was taken aback and blurted out, "That can't be right, can it? I heard that the Blue Lanterns of the Boxer Rebellion are all women, aren't they?"
"The one illuminated by the black light is an old man, the one illuminated by the red light is a young woman, and the one illuminated by the blue light—these people are clearly all men!"
Chen Wen stood by the window, quietly watching the deployment and guard positions of the blue-clad men downstairs. Hearing this, he shook his head slightly: "Liang Kuan, the Boxers are long gone. It's not surprising that the Blue Lanterns have become whatever they are."
"Have you forgotten the White Lotus Sect?"
>