"Hu Junxian!"
"Hu Junxian! If you are a man, then come out and speak your words clearly! Do not hide on the city walls!"
The Feather Forest Army clamored and yelled before the city pass, but Hu Junxian turned a deaf ear as if he were deaf, paying them no mind.
Command arrows were passed out from the gate tower one by one. Taking the command arrows, the Border Army armored soldiers went to pass on the orders one by one, Turning a Blind Eye to the Crown Prince and the Feather Forest Army.
Qi Zhenzhuo said angrily: "Your Highness, this Hu Junxian simply doesn't place you in his eyes!"
His body gathered within the pure-white fox-fur coat, the Crown Prince said indifferently: "Qi Zhenzhuo, do not act Flustered and Exasperated here. Where is the bearing and demeanor of the Feather Forest Army? Step down."
Qi Zhenzhuo opened and closed his mouth. Finally, he cupped his fists and retreated backward.
At this time, the sound of footsteps transmitted over. Deputy Regional Commander Zhou led a squad of Border Army foot soldiers past the Feather Forest Army.
Zhou You said coldly: "For better or worse, the Regional Commander of my Guyuan Regional Military Commission is a Primary Second Rank Imperial Court high official! It is not your place for this group of Spoiled Heirs to shout and yell loudly. Everyone, please show some respect! We are soldiers garrisoning the borders, not cats and dogs tethered beneath the Imperial City walls."
After saying that, he led the foot soldiers before the city pass, ascending the gate tower along the steps without turning his head.
Frowning in deep thought for a moment, Li Xuan turned his head to say to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, in order to keep you here, this Hu Junxian actually spun a monstrous lie! What should we do now?"
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, letting out a sigh: "If only Mister Qi were here. Unfortunately, he was transferred to the palace by Royal Father to report for duty, and couldn't accompany me to Guyuan this time."
Li Xuan revealed a look of shame. They were right by the Crown Prince's side, yet the Crown Prince lamented the absence of Mister Qi; this clearly showed he felt they were of no use.
The Crown Prince looked at Chen Liqin, who was dressed in a bright red Official Robe: "Lord Chen, earlier I heard you achieved quite some success in Luo City, and even Royal Father praised you... What are your thoughts?"
Chen Liqin pondered for a moment and said: "Your Highness, wait a moment. Allow me to go forward and negotiate with Commander Hu! I will definitely make him open the city gates and let us out of the city!"
The Crown Prince neither approved nor disapproved.
Chen Liqin dismounted his horse and walked toward the city pass. However, before he even drew near, two Border Army soldiers crossed their Long Halberds, firmly blocking his path: "This is a vital military area! Unrelated personnel must avoid it!"
Chen Liqin frowned: "This place is not the White Tiger Hall, nor is it the Regional Military Commission's discussion hall! According to the military laws of my Ning Dynasty, it is not a vital military area! With the Crown Prince present, and me being the Junior Supervisor of the Household in the Supervisorate of Instruction—a Rank 4b official—I naturally have the authority and duty to inquire about military secrets when facing battle! If you don't understand the law, then stop blathering nonsense!"
After hearing Chen Liqin's words, one of the Border Army soldiers hesitated for a moment. He turned his head to look at his comrade: "What is a Junior Supervisor of the Household in the Supervisorate of Instruction?"
The other Border Army soldier shook his head: "It sounds like a high official, but his Official Position shouldn't be higher than our general's."
"Oh. Since he's not a higher official than our Regional Commander, then we'll listen to the general."
Chen Liqin was ridiculed until his face turned blue and purple by turns! The other party didn't even care about military law!
He suppressed his temper and negotiated with the Border Army armored soldiers for the time it took an incense stick to burn, but couldn't even ascend the gate tower. He could only return, his face covered in dust and ash.
The Crown Prince consoled him gently: "Lord Chen, you need not lose heart. The Border Army is vulgar, coarse, and unreasonable; it is not your fault or failure."
Chen Liqin Hesitated to Speak, but ultimately remained completely silent.
Just as he had told Madam Liang when they were in Luo City: he was a capable official at governing a region, but lacked the quick wit to handle danger. He originally had never set his sights on the Junior Supervisor of the Household Official Position, yet for whatever reason, the Imperial Court actually arranged for him to come assist the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince looked at the swaying torchlight atop the gate tower from afar, caught in a dilemma for a moment.
Qi Zhenzhuo came close and said softly: "Your Highness, I have a way out of the city."
The Crown Prince said calmly: "Please speak."
Qi Zhenzhuo pondered for a moment: "After this final general arrived in Guyuan, I heard there are two secret tunnels to enter and exit this Guyuan city! Merchants can use these two secret paths to avoid the city passes and transport some contraband goods... Perhaps Your Highness can also use the secret paths to leave?"
The Crown Prince swept a glance at him: "If the Crown Prince of a nation uses a tunnel to flee in a sorry state, where is the majesty of the imperial family?! Our Great Ning Dynasty has never produced such a cowardly and useless Crown Prince! Do not mention this again!"
However, Li Xuan said at the side: "Your Highness, matters are urgent and require us to act according to circumstances! If something unexpected happens to you..."
Before his voice fell, a sound came from not far away: "You must not leave the city."
The Crown Prince and Li Xuan turned their heads simultaneously, just in time to see Chen Ji spur his horse forward: "Your Highness, you must not leave the city at this time."
Chen Liqin frowned: "What are you joining the commotion for?! Step down!"
Chen Ji cupped his hands to the Crown Prince: "Your Highness, look at what the Border Army is busy with! It is not something prepared temporarily just to put on a show!"
The Crown Prince was deep in thought: "Explain?"
Pointing at the Border Army armored soldiers, Chen Ji said: "The Border Army's military supplies are scarce! Ordinary soldiers can only wear rattan armor, their Military Ordnance incomplete! If going by market prices, a Stiff Bow with a draw weight of one Shi requires eight taels of silver! Soldiers in the Border Army will definitely cherish this kind of bow extremely dearly..."
Qi Zhenzhuo interrupted: "What exactly are you trying to say?! Make a long story short!"
Letting out a "hei", Zhang Zheng was about to spur his horse forward to reason with him.
Chen Ji raised his hand to stop Zhang Zheng's movements, continuing to say: "Stiff Bows are prone to cracking, and ox sinew bowstrings are brittle, so they are not strung outside of wartime! When we entered the city this afternoon, the Border Army soldiers' bows were all inserted in the quivers on their backs, unstrung! But now, all the Border Army soldiers carrying Stiff Bows have strung their ox sinew strings without exception! If they were merely putting on a show, the Border Army would not bear to do this!"
Li Xuan shook his head: "This doesn't prove anything! The ones putting on a show are Hu Junxian and Zhou You! The two of them would only need to tell the soldiers below that enemies are invading; how could they tell everyone their thoughts of treason?! Therefore, the Border Army soldiers genuinely believe the Jing Dynasty Heavenly Strategy Army is coming!"
Chen Ji fell silent for a moment before changing the topic: "Everyone, do you not feel the torchlight on the city walls is a bit too bright?"
The Crown Prince was puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Chen Ji explained: "If there were only torches, they could absolutely not burn with this kind of brightness! For the city walls to be as bright as day right now, it is because a massive fire is burning outside the city... The Border Army is setting fires and burning the mountains outside the city, so as to prevent the Jing Dynasty army from coming here to fell trees and manufacture siege equipment! If a genuine major enemy were not right before them, how could Commander Hu go to such lengths?"
Before anyone else could speak, Chen Liqin said angrily: "Without Learning or Skill, yet you talk of military tactics on paper here as if you personally saw the Border Army setting fires and burning the mountains with your own eyes! I already told you to step down! Is His Highness's presence a place where you can spout nonsense and weave lies?!"
Chen Ji remained silent for a moment, then turned his horse and retreated back.
Chen Liqin cupped his hands to the Crown Prince again: "Your Highness, this humble minister is incompetent at teaching his son, making a fool of himself before you."
The Crown Prince hurriedly said: "Lord Chen, why must you do this? Chen Ji merely wanted to offer strategies and suggestions; there is no need to blame him."
Chen Liqin answered: "Your Highness, the most pressing matter right now is still to be careful of the Border Army jumping over the wall in desperation! If they are allowed to hold the Crown Prince of a nation hostage, I fear it will also place His Majesty in a dilemma!"
The Crown Prince lowered his head without speaking.
Li Xuan asked in a low voice: "Does the Crown Prince also feel that there are truly Jing Dynasty Practitioners outside the city who have infiltrated the heartland of our Ning Dynasty?"
Sitting on his horse, the Crown Prince raised his head to look at the majestic city walls from afar: "What Chen Ji said is not entirely without reason. This Concubine's Son of the Chen Family observes meticulously; he is actually not as unbearable as Lord Chen says. When the Liu Family rebelled, the Jing Dynasty soldiers approached the Chongli Pass. If I recall correctly, the Heavenly Strategy Army was indeed not among them! At the time, the high officials in the Imperial Court were still puzzled about where the Heavenly Strategy Army went. Thinking about it now, it is very possible they truly came to Guyuan for a surprise attack!"
Li Xuan pondered for a moment: "If the Heavenly Strategy Army truly came, then Your Highness should leave Guyuan all the more! Your body is worth a thousand pieces of gold! If Guyuan city falls, I fear..."
The Crown Prince asked nonchalantly: "But if we leave right now, what if we run into the Jing Dynasty Practitioners outside the city?"
Li Xuan consoled him: "The Ziwu Ridge is bizarrely steep and precipitous; cavalry absolutely cannot pass through, and rations and baggage cannot be transported in! Even if the Heavenly Strategy Army dispatched Practitioners to infiltrate over, it will inevitably only be a small handful of people to intercept rations and gather Intelligence! My Feather Forest Army's five hundred cavalry formation can behead even Jing Dynasty Practitioners from their horses! Your Highness, let us go!"
The Crown Prince remained silent for a long time. Finally, he still shook his head: "I accept General Li's good intentions. It's just that I am the Crown Prince of a nation! If the Jing Dynasty Heavenly Strategy Army is truly at the city gates, I should also coexist and perish with Guyuan; I absolutely cannot flee before fighting! Our Ning Dynasty moved the capital city from Jinling to Capital City precisely for the purpose of the Son of Heaven guarding the nation's gates! A person who cowers from battle is not worthy of this beautiful Great Ning Dynasty's rivers and mountains."
Upon hearing this, Li Xuan immediately cupped his fists and saluted in excitement: "Your Highness's lesson is correct! Your Highness's broad-mindedness and boldness make this final general Feel Inferior! In the future, you will definitely become a generation's enlightened monarch..."
"Do not speak nonsense about undecided matters," the Crown Prince interrupted gently: "Commander Li need not blame himself. I understand you are thinking about my safety... Let's go, back to the Regional Military Commission. We will discuss everything else at length later."
After saying that, he gathered the fox-fur coat on his shoulders and took another deep look at the gate tower before finally turning his horse around.
Guarding the Crown Prince, the Feather Forest Army galloped all the way, taking advantage of the night to return to the Regional Military Commission.
Arriving before the doors of the Regional Military Commission, the Crown Prince dismounted his horse and handed the reins to Li Xuan: "Make absolutely sure to settle Lord Chen and his family dependents properly..."
As he spoke, he turned his head to scan behind him: "Yi, where is Miss Zhang Xia?"
Li Xuan blanked out slightly. He turned his head to look back, but where were the figures of Zhang Xia and Zhang Zheng behind the Feather Forest Army?!
He said hesitantly: "It's likely my Feather Forest Army rode too fast, causing them to fall behind? Your Highness, please rest in the estate first. This final general will lead men to search right now!"
Qi Zhenzhuo said from the side: "Your Highness, this final general personally saw them take another small path at Shule Street just now! They chose to leave of their own accord, they didn't fall behind! I wager they were afraid they would be murdered by the Border Army if they followed us, so they stealthily fled! It wasn't just Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia who left, but also that boy named Chen Ji and his personal maid!"
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, his face breaking into a smile: "Since that is the case, then let them be."
(End of this chapter)