Winter of the thirty-first year of Jianing, the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.
Outside Guyuan, strong winds rolled up the yellow earth and sent it flying into the sky, before it lightly floated back down. When it landed on people, it produced a rustling sound like falling rain.
On top of the Guyuan city walls, a soldier used a gray cloth scarf to wrap up more than half of his face, leaning against the battlements to doze off.
From afar, a burst of camel bell sounds transmitted over.
The soldier pulled his scarf down a bit and raised his eyes to look outside the city. He saw that on the boundless, endless yellow dirt official road, a long camel caravan was arriving from a great distance.
The roads here were rugged and uneven; even the official roads were filled with potholes. Horse carriages and ox carts could not pass through here; the wheels would have to be replaced every several dozen Li. All merchants coming from the Central Plains had to switch to camels and mules in Taiyuan Prefecture before they could continue proceeding forward.
Squinting his eyes to size them up from afar, the soldier muttered softly: "It's almost New Year's Day, and there are actually still people coming to this ghost place? Yi, officials?"
He saw that in the camel caravan, pages holding reins walked in the front, while the people behind wrapped themselves up tightly and securely, sitting on the backs of the camels.
If it were a merchant caravan, the merchants would wish for nothing more than to pile the camel humps full of goods; they absolutely wouldn't bear to sit on them themselves! Only those acting as officials would do this kind of thing.
Not long after, the camel caravan arrived beneath the city walls. Pressing his hand against his waist saber, the soldier shouted loudly: "Who goes there?!"
A page holding reins raised his hands to cup them in greeting: "This military lord, my family's old master is the Rank 4b Junior Supervisor of the Household of the Supervisorate of Instruction, Chen Liqin! Coming upon the orders of the Crown Prince! Quickly open the gates!"
"Oh, so it turns out to be the Crown Prince's people." The soldier's face slowly sank. He threw out a light sentence: "Wait here, I'll go report it."
The camel caravan waited in the wind and sand for a full hour, but the city gates stubbornly refused to open. No matter how the page called out from beneath the city walls, no one paid him any attention.
At the rear of the camel caravan, Zhang Xia, Zhang Zheng, Chen Ji, and Xiaoman wrapped their mouths and noses with red scarves. The scarves were stacked layer upon layer on their necks and shoulders, yet it still failed to block out the biting cold wind.
Sitting on the saddle with half her face hidden in the scarf, Zhang Xia said in a low voice: "This is not quite right. In a border region like Guyuan, what logic is there to slight and neglect an Imperial Court Rank 4 high official? Furthermore, he's a subordinate official of the Eastern Palace."
Chen Ji gave an "Mhm". He raised his head to scrutinize this city fortress. The fortress was extremely tall; his neck grew sore from looking up at it. The gray bricks on the city walls had been eroded by the wind; who knew how many years it had stood tall and aloof.
Vicissitudes of time, majestic and grandiose; this was Chen Ji's deepest impression of the Guyuan military town.
On both sides of Guyuan were mountain ranges. This city seemed as though it was built within a massive canyon, blocking the path of the Jing Dynasty cavalry from heading south.
With a creak, the city gates slowly opened.
Two squads of armored soldiers wielding Long Halberds marched out in formation, faintly pinning the camel caravan in the middle.
Chen Liqin cast a weary glance: "What is the meaning of this?"
Wang Gui, who was helping him pull the reins, said attentively: "Old Master, I'll go ask?"
"Go."
Wang Gui didn't know fatigue. Currently, he was not yet the steward, so naturally he didn't need to manage these matters. However, if he himself didn't know how to look for work to do, he feared he wouldn't be able to regain his position as steward for the rest of his life.
Wang Gui leaned close and asked: "Generals, what is the meaning of gathering around my family's camel caravan? We are the family dependents of Junior Supervisor of the Household Chen Liqin!"
An armored lieutenant smiled: "Everyone, do not be anxious. Guyuan is an important military area. Recently, Jing Dynasty spies have infiltrated to scout and gather Intelligence. To prevent any mishaps, we must search everyone's luggage."
Wang Gui's expression changed: "The Crown Prince's handwritten edict and the Travel Permits are all present! How dare you search our luggage?!"
That lieutenant's right hand pressed down on his waist saber, sneering coldly: "We Border Army soldiers shed our blood and lay down our lives here! We only care about killing enemy bandits and catching spies; we don't care about what Rank 3 or Rank 4 high officials there are! Even if the Minister of War or the Grand Secretaries of the current dynasty came, we would search them all the same!"
Wang Gui's words were blocked. From the Capital City to Luo City, he was used to being flattered and propped up by people, yet he never expected this Border Army wouldn't even give face to a Rank 4 high official!
How did it come to this?!
Seeing that negotiations failed, Chen Liqin was supported by a page to dismount his camel: "This general, I wonder where we have caused offense? If there is any, I apologize on behalf of the servants."
The lieutenant smiled without it reaching his eyes: "Lord Chen's words are too heavy; we are merely fulfilling our duties. You see this pass behind me? If it were taken by the Jing Dynasty, the commoners of the two provinces, Ningzhou and Shanzhou, would suffer disaster. Wouldn't you say so?"
Madam Liang wrapped herself tightly and securely with the scarf. She shot a pointed glance at Wang Gui. Wang Gui immediately took out a Silver Ingot from his sleeve and stealthily stuffed it into that lieutenant's hands: "My family's lord knows the border soldiers work hard; please, make an exception and accommodate us."
"What kind of people do you take my Border Army soldiers for?!" The lieutenant threw the Silver Ingot onto the yellow dirt: "We are merely acting on orders! If you obstruct us further, we will arrest you all as Jing Dynasty spies! Search them for me!"
Wang Gui became anxious: "Hey, stop it!"
He stepped forward to pull on a soldier's arm, but the Border Army soldier was chillingly murderous, actually directly drawing his waist saber with a
clang
: "Scram!"
Looking at the snow-bright glint of the blade, Wang Gui embarrassedly retreated a few steps.
At the rear of the camel caravan, Zhang Zheng laughed cheerfully: "It's a good thing we don't have any luggage, so we aren't afraid of being searched."
Chen Ji laughed 'haha': "Brother Zhang is naturally optimistic; you live more happily than others."
Receiving the praise, Zhang Zheng said joyfully: "Ain't that the truth! When I go back, I must tell Father about this, telling him to absolutely never come to the border regions, otherwise he'll also have to suffer the humiliation of a body search."
Zhang Xia glared at her own brother, and then turned her head to say to Chen Ji in a low voice: "I don't know what exactly the Crown Prince did in Guyuan to seemingly provoke public outrage. My father once said that ever since General Wentao (Qing Wentao) was executed by Lingchi, problems have continuously emerged in the Border Army! There are even matters of Border Army forces leading troops to deflect to the Jing Dynasty occurring occasionally..."
Chen Ji was confused: "Lingchi? Under what charges?"
"Colluding with the enemy." Zhang Xia cast a glance at the Border Army soldiers not far away, saying in a low voice: "A few years ago in Ningzhou, there were even commoners secretly erecting living shrines for General Wentao. As a result, it was discovered by the Imperial Court and all of them were pushed down and destroyed! At that time, a mutiny occurred in the Border Army! Coincidentally, the Jing Dynasty cavalry was heading south! Had it not been for Mister Wang receiving orders in the face of danger to lead troops to quell the rebellion, I fear a massive disaster would have long since brewed!"
Zhang Zheng smiled: "I've heard about this matter. It's said a Chiliarch Office mutinied. Mister Wang, as a civil official, entered the Chiliarch Office alone with a single horse, and quelled the rebellion overnight! Later on, Mister Wang was promoted to Guard Commander, leading five Chiliarch Offices to launch a surprise attack on the Jing Dynasty's baggage train, forcing the Jing Dynasty cavalry to retreat! He is a renowned Confucian General known by every household in the Capital City... Originally, Father thought Mister Wang would be able to enter the Ministry of War this time, but who knows who intercepted the Cinnabar Rescript rating. What a pity. Father said, if Mister Wang is at the border towns, he can guarantee twenty years of peace and no worries. Only then can he feel at ease to do many things."
Chen Ji suddenly realized. No wonder Lord Zhang appeared so desolate and lonely when he didn't see Mister Wang's promotion documents in Luo City.
At this time, the Border Army soldiers took the Chen Family's luggage down from the camel humps, opening and searching them one by one, actually throwing the gold, silver, and soft valuables all over the ground! The other party didn't carefully inspect the items inside; they merely wanted to open them and throw them onto the ground!
This was not searching for Jing Dynasty spies; this was clearly giving a subordinate official of the Eastern Palace a display of severity to break his spirit!
When the soldiers' search reached Chen Ji, a soldier noticed the long cloth-wrapped Whale Blade lying horizontally before his saddle. Instantly, he asked in a cold voice: "What is this? Is it a weapon?!"
Chen Ji did not answer.
That soldier called his colleagues over: "Men! This person has a weapon on him! Capture all these people riding horses and send them to the General to await punishment!"
Hearing that someone was carrying a weapon, over ten soldiers swarmed and surrounded them, Perfectly Aligned as they aimed their Long Halberds at Chen Ji and the others. Restless and uneasy, Zaozao snorted out white streams of Qi, her thick hooves stomping the yellow dirt ground.
The shouting awakened Xiaoman who was dozing off on the small pony. She gripped the reins tightly and asked in a low voice: "Young Master, what do we do?"
Wu Yun stood up from Zaozao's head, staring coldly at all the soldiers.
Chen Ji said softly: "Do not act rashly without careful thought."
As his words fell, the sound of horse hooves transmitted from within the city gate tunnel. One person spurred his horse and galloped over; he had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, wearing silver armor, with a bundle of white Pheasant Tail feathers soaring upwards from his helmet, appearing extremely heroic and martial.
Seeing the gold, silver, and soft valuables scattered on the ground, this person shouted loudly from a distance: "Audacious! This is an official of the Eastern Palace! How dare you intentionally create difficulties?!"
Before the city gates, the Border Army lieutenant sneered coldly: "Lord Li, what is wrong with us tracking down Jing Dynasty spies? You follow the Crown Prince and live in luxury; perhaps you don't know how severe the consequences are if Jing Dynasty spies are let in!"
Wearing silver armor, Lord Li said angrily: "You've let so many traveling merchants in; Jing Dynasty spies have long since mixed among them! The Crown Prince told you to self-investigate for Jing Dynasty spies, yet you want to start investigating from the Crown Prince's subordinate officials! What propriety is this?"
The Border Army lieutenant said unhurriedly: "His Highness the Crown Prince said there are many Jing Dynasty spies in our Guyuan military town, so we shall investigate according to his instructions! As for where to start investigating from, we have the final say!"
Lord Li was enraged: "You!"
The Border Army lieutenant pressed down on his waist saber: "What, the Crown Prince's subordinate officials cannot be investigated? Not only will we investigate, but we will investigate thoroughly and meticulously! The day after tomorrow is New Year's Day; what proper person would come to our Guyuan at this time?"
At this time, amidst the forest of Long Halberds, Chen Ji slowly spurred his horse forward as if there was no one else present. Cupping his hands toward him, he said: "This general, I wonder if we could step aside to speak?"
The Border Army lieutenant sneered: "Whatever words you have, say them right here! Don't tell me you still want to bribe me?"
At the side, Chen Liqin looked at Chen Ji, his brows furrowing tightly: "This is not the place for you to speak! Retreat back!"
However, Chen Ji didn't look at him. Instead, he jumped off the horse, cupping his fists toward the lieutenant: "This general, this humble one is the Direct Disciple of Mister Wang, Wang Daosheng. I wonder if you could make an exception and accommodate us a bit?"
That Border Army lieutenant was slightly taken aback. He sized Chen Ji up from top to bottom, and then cast a glance at the exceptionally miraculously-spirited Zaozao: "You are the Disciple of Mister Wang?"
The soldiers Looked at One Another, the Long Halberds in their hands involuntarily lowering a few degrees.
The lieutenant pondered for a moment: "Young lad, words cannot be spoken recklessly! If I find out you are lying, then it won't be as simple as just a search anymore! Let me ask you, do you have a token to prove your identity?"
Chen Ji shook his head: "No token. Mister Wang is at home fulfilling his mourning period. I once followed Mister Wang to study. At Luhun Villa, Mister Wang acknowledged me as this Direct Disciple in front of over a hundred literati; it cannot be faked."
The lieutenant spoke in a condensed voice: "Without a token, how can I believe you?! We are far away at this border region; we've never heard of some Luhun Villa!"
Chen Ji lowered his head in deep thought. When he raised his head again, he said: "This general, Mister Wang once gifted his personal accompanying sword to the Deputy Regional Commander of the Guyuan military town. This matter is not known to outsiders. You may go seek out the Deputy Regional Commander to verify this."
The lieutenant's eyes lit up. He turned around to demand a warhorse, and swiftly rode away.
When pointing-an-incense-stick of time had passed, the lieutenant galloped back, joy revealing itself in his eyes! Seeing the soldiers still raising their Long Halberds, he immediately waved his hand: "Hurry and lower the Long Halberds... What are you still standing there in a daze for?! Did you motherf
*ers not hear what I said?!"
Arriving nearby, he dismounted the horse with a flip. Laughing mellowly, he cupped his hands toward Chen Ji: "So it truly is Mister Wang's Disciple! Much offense, much offense, ah!"
After saying that, he turned his head and waved his hand toward the soldiers: "Let them pass!"
(End of this chapter)