The heavy snow stopped.
The individual red tassels on the helmets of the Thousand-Year Army fluttered on the snowy plain, like a magnificent banner heading north.
Chen Ji rode his horse at the very front. The white mist expelled from his nose and breath drifted far away with the wind. He only felt the gloom in his heart vanish like smoke and disperse like clouds, finally feeling as if he were truly alive in this world.
Bai Li, wrapped in a white mink fur robe, was as picturesque as a painting. She rode her horse behind him and asked loudly, "Chen Ji, when we return to Luo City, what do you want to do the most?"
Chen Ji tightened the reins, slowing his warhorse to ride shoulder-to-shoulder with Bai Li. He smiled and answered, "Take a hot bath, and then sleep till the sky goes dark and the earth turns dim."
Bai Li said with a smile, "Your clothes are torn in quite a few places. After you wake up, come with me to the Li Family's clothing shop. Have them take your measurements and make two new outfits for you, as well as boots and a hat."
Chen Ji replied, "My clothes can still be worn after some stitching and mending."
Bai Li assumed he was worried about the cost and hurriedly said, "I'll pay for it; you don't need to worry about the silver."
"Ah?" Chen Ji was taken aback. "That wouldn't be good."
Bai Li pondered for a moment. "What's not good about it? If it weren't for you this time, I definitely wouldn't have been able to return alive. Furthermore, you vented my anger for me during the scripture debate; what is adding two outfits for you in comparison?"
Chen Ji smiled. "That works too."
Bai Li said with a cheerful smile, "In another month, it'll be New Year's Day. Are you going back to the Chen Family to celebrate?"
"Not going back."
Bai Li asked with a smile, "If you don't want to go back to the Chen Family to celebrate, how about coming to the Royal Estate? When the time comes, everyone can play Pai Gow together to stay up for the New Year, and we can also go out to the streets together to set off firecrackers."
New Year's Day was the Spring Festival, which was immediately followed by the Lantern Festival, where people ate yuanxiao and strolled through the lantern fairs.
Chen Ji thought for a moment. "When the time comes, Senior Brother Liu and Senior Brother She will both have to go home to stay up for the New Year. Only Master will be left in the medical clinic; I have to keep him company there."
Bai Li thought for a long time, then opened her mouth to ask, "Then how about my brother and I go to the medical clinic to stay up for the New Year? We can sweep the dust in the morning, hang lanterns, wrap dumplings, and steam buns in the afternoon, and play Pai Gow to stay up for the New Year at night!"
Chen Ji was confused. "Don't the Commandery Princess and Prince Heir have to stay up for the New Year at the Royal Estate? New Year's Day is always spent with family."
Bai Li was silent for a moment. "There is no New Year's atmosphere in the Royal Estate. The buns are steamed by the servants, and the dumplings are wrapped by the servants. Father still has to handle government affairs, and Mother rests early. It's boring."
Chen Ji said with a smile, "Then the Commandery Princess and Prince Heir should come to the medical clinic. We'll sweep the dust, hang lanterns, wrap dumplings, and steam buns together."
Bai Li's eyes sparkled. "Alright, then it's a promise... By the way, did you secretly look at the red cloth strip I tied to the apricot tree?"
Chen Ji shook his head. "No. Rest assured, Commandery Princess, that is your secret. I won't peek."
Bai Li let out a long "oh." "...That's good then."
Not far behind the two of them, Prince Jing and Wang Daosheng rode side by side. Prince Jing's red cape on his back was particularly eye-catching in the white world.
Mister Wang said, "Your Highness, mobilizing the Thousand-Year Army this time was done without a transfer order from the Ministry of War. If word of this reaches the Capital City, I fear it will draw verbal and written condemnation from others."
In earlier years, the Thousand-Year Army was Prince Jing's core direct-line troops, but they were ultimately not a private army. Mobilizing more than three hundred troops out of the camp required a transfer order from the Ministry of War.
Now, Prince Jing had gathered a thousand troops to surround Luhun Villa. This matter could be considered big or small, entirely depending on what mood the Emperor was in.
Prince Jing, however, was completely unconcerned. "If I cannot even protect my own sons and daughters, I might as well be a commoner. I presume that when His Majesty learns of this matter, he will be able to tolerate it."
Wang Daosheng was puzzled. "Over these years, Your Highness has concealed your capabilities, bided your time, and cherished your reputation, deeply afraid of doing something wrong and incurring His Majesty's suspicion. Why be so rash today?"
Prince Jing smiled but didn't answer.
Looking at the figures of Chen Ji and Bai Li from afar, he changed the subject. "Mister Wang, didn't you say previously that you were only letting Chen Ji audit your classes, and he wasn't even considered an unregistered disciple? How did he become a personal disciple today?"
Wang Daosheng said indifferently, "He was surrounded by monks and unable to leave; he must have committed a great taboo of Buddhism during the scripture debate. As his teacher, I naturally must find a way to shelter him. This way, if Wu Zhai's master and martial uncles want to find someone to vent their anger on, they should come to me, not him."
Prince Jing chuckled. "Mister is deeply righteous. It's just that this kid doesn't study the classics and their meanings. If his scholarly knowledge is tested by others in the future, I fear he will bring shame to you, Mister."
Wang Daosheng shook his head. "It's no matter. With the Prince Heir as a flawless gem displayed in front, we are not lacking for this one Chen Ji."
Prince Jing slowly reined in his smile and cast an exasperated look at his eldest son beside him.
Seeing his father looking at him, the Prince Heir thought he wanted to speak with him, and immediately rode his horse closer. "Dad, I haven't seen you wear armor in a long time. You look just as imposing as before."
Prince Jing replied, "In earlier years, I had to lead troops to suppress rebellions. These past few years have been peaceful days, so naturally, there's no need to wear it."
The Prince Heir suddenly sighed with emotion. "Seeing you put on your old bright armor, I just realized you've lost a lot of weight."
Prince Jing was taken aback. Sometimes people don't realize their own weight changes. It's only when they can no longer fit into their old clothes that they suddenly realize they've gained a lot of weight, or when they find their old clothes suddenly loose and baggy that they know they've lost weight.
He lowered his head and sized up the bright armor he was wearing, then raised his head to look at the figures of Chen Ji and Bai Li. Suddenly, he asked, "Yunxi, what do you think of Chen Ji?"
The Prince Heir looked ahead to where Chen Ji's Whale Blade hung by the saddle. The young man's back was straight as a ramrod, like a young knight-errant descended from the Tianshan Mountains. He thought for a moment and responded, "Good, very good. There is no better friend than him."
Saying this, he looked at Chen Ji and Bai Li, then at his father, bewildered and uncertain. "Dad, what do you mean by suddenly asking this? Do you want to..."
Before he could finish speaking, Prince Jing interrupted, "Yunxi, do you have a young lady you favor in Luo City?"
The Prince Heir answered, "No. The misses from the families of officials and nobles are all affected and artificial; they cannot catch my eye."
Prince Jing said casually, "In earlier years, when I wanted to arrange a betrothal for you, you said you wanted to go study at Donglin Academy and didn't want to consider marriage until you returned having completed your studies. Now, you have been at Donglin Academy for three years and have reached the age of crowning. If you continue to make excuses and refuse marriage, this Royal Estate will not be able to keep you."
The Prince Heir's expression changed. "Are you trying to get rid of me or something?"
Prince Jing snapped, "I'm talking about sending you to the Border Army!"
Just at this time, on the snowy plain, a person came galloping at high speed on horseback. The other party wore a bamboo hat and a black cloak, their face completely concealed in the shadow beneath the bamboo hat.
Beside the other party's saddle hung three long sabers, their black scabbards and hilts radiating a murderous spirit.
"Protect His Highness!" The Thousand-Year Army formation quickly closed in around Prince Jing and the Prince Heir. A troop of cavalry in the rear raised their cavalry lances and blocked in front of Prince Jing.
But even with a massive army here, the uninvited guest showed no intention of stopping whatsoever, not avoiding or yielding at all!
At the critical moment.
Chen Ji followed the sound of horse hooves and narrowed his eyes to look. He abruptly turned his head to Bai Li. "Commandery Princess, is that the person who tailed you many times before?"
Bai Li was taken aback. "It's him!"
Previously, outside the medical clinic, a middle-aged man had stood beneath the bun shop surreptitiously sizing up Bai Li. By the time Chen Ji wanted to observe the other party carefully, he had already vanished.
According to what Bai Li said, she had spotted this person four or five times; it was absolutely not a coincidence.
Chen Ji was bewildered and uncertain. Why was this person appearing here?
The distance between the two sides grew ever closer. Chen Ji led Bai Li to halt their horses and wait for the Thousand-Year Army to surround and protect them.
As the middle-aged man's black horse charged, its hooves kicked up waves of snow.
Yet, when he got close and saw Bai Li on the snowy plain, he actually slowly reduced his speed.
With his left hand, Chen Ji tightened his grip on the reins and moved closer to Bai Li; with his right hand, he gripped the hilt of the Whale Blade, quietly watching the middle-aged man approach. But he gradually realized something was wrong. As the man tilted his head up, revealing a rugged countenance as if chiseled by a knife, there wasn't the slightest hint of hostility.
Instead, it was as if he heaved a sigh of relief. The muscles all over his body relaxed, and his expression softened significantly.
The Thousand-Year Army rushed to tightly surround Chen Ji and Bai Li before the man could reach them.
Acting as if no one else was present, the man rode his horse past the outer perimeter of the Thousand-Year Army formation without uttering a single word.
Inside the formation, Chen Ji peered out through the gaps between the red tassels on the helmets, only to find that the other party was also sizing him up.
The general holding the royal banner looked at Prince Jing. "Your Highness, take him down?"
Prince Jing gave the man a deep look and gently shook his head. "We are all merely travelers on the road; there's no need to make things difficult."
Beside the military formation, the man slowly rode his horse brushing past the formation. Only when they had completely passed each other did he kick his horse's belly heavily, accelerating away in another direction.
It was as if nothing had happened at all.
Bai Li wanted to go find her father and report the matter of the other party tracking her multiple times, but her arm was grabbed by Chen Ji, who soundlessly shook his head.
Chen Ji led Bai Li to break away from the Thousand-Year Army formation again. Only when they were separated by several dozen paces did he suddenly say, "I'm guessing he heard that you were in danger, so he temporarily set out from Luo City to find you. Based on the timing, he got the news only slightly later than Prince Jing."
Bai Li didn't understand. "To find me?"
Chen Ji pondered for a moment. "Or rather, he came to save you."
Bai Li fell silent.
Chen Ji asked, "Commandery Princess, do you have any relatives like an uncle on your mother's side?"
Bai Li denied it. "My mother is an only child."
Chen Ji looked back at the retreating figure of the man, the other party gradually becoming a receding black speck in the white world.
He quietly looked at Prince Jing, only to find Prince Jing's expression as normal as ever, as if he had perceived nothing at all.
Chen Ji said softly, "Let's not tell His Highness about this matter for now."
Bai Li gave an "mhm."
Right at this time, the dense sound of horse hooves rang out from the distance again. At the end of the snowy plain, a figure in a red official robe appeared. Wrapped in a cape, Zhang Zhuo was leading several dozen riders from the Luo City City Defense Division rushing over.
Arriving in front of the Thousand-Year Army formation, he swung down from his horse, waded through the thick snow to Zhang Xia's horse, and anxiously sized up his own daughter. "Are you alright? Are you hurt? Are you freezing or starving?"
Zhang Xia hurriedly dismounted, her eye sockets red. "Father, I'm fine. When we were attacked, Chen Ji risked his life to save us. Later, not long after we went to Luhun Villa, His Highness arrived leading the Thousand-Year Army."
Zhang Zhuo let out a long breath of relief. He took the cape draped over his own body and draped it over Zhang Xia's shoulders. "As long as you're fine, as long as you're fine."
Bai Li looked at Zhang Zhuo, then at Chen Ji.
Finally, she cast her gaze toward the end of the snowy plain. Prince Jing's Estate had come, Zhang Zhuo had come, even that mysterious man had come—only there was no sign of anyone from the Chen Estate.
(End of Chapter)