Green Mountain
Chapter 233 - 181, Banquet

Chapter 233: 181, Banquet

The Thousand-year Army... was no longer the one that had once fought life and death battles alongside Prince Jing.

Over the long years, it had been divided, intimidated, and disintegrated by the Ritual Supervision using various means. Those who disobeyed had already been executed; only those who complied could stay alive.

There was no reinforcements.

Chen Ji suddenly felt a wave of weakness, as if no matter how much effort he put in, there would always be a hand reaching out, correcting the destiny he desperately tried to change.

Could the divination his master calculated not be altered at all?

Was this fate?

No!

Chen Ji stood among the encircasing soldiers of the Thousand-year Army like a solitary rock in the tide, but before the soldiers could close in, he did not advance but retreated, charging directly at the lieutenant like a icebreaker in the open ocean!

No one expected his audacious move, attempting even to kill a commander. Caught off guard, the lieutenant swung his long spear, which whooshed through the air but firmly stopped in Chen Ji’s hand.

Chen Ji forcefully shook his wrist: "Let go!"

A tremendous force transmitted from the spear’s shaft to the lieutenant’s hand, shaking him into involuntarily releasing it: "Executive Officer, approaching Innate!"

As the rest of the soldiers surrounded them, the long spear in Chen Ji’s hand swept across with its crescent blade, clearing everyone around as if swinging a full moon.

By the time they reacted, Chen Ji was already standing behind the lieutenant with the crescent blade of the long spear against his neck: "Everyone else back off, or his life is in jeopardy! Speak, order your men to retreat!"

The lieutenant gravely said, "My Thousand-year Army fears not death, your threats are futile."

Chen Ji sneered: "If you truly did not fear death, why would you betray your master for glory?"

At this, the spear-holding soldiers looked at each other.

Chen Ji, holding the lieutenant hostage, slowly retreated towards the camp gate while loudly saying: "As of now, Prince Jing is detained in the inner prison of Luocheng City by the Spy Department, framed and slandered, his danger imminent. Prince Jing personally wrote a blood letter, asking me to bring it to General Wang, hoping he would break into the prison tonight to rescue the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess. Yet, General Wang agreed outwardly but now has taken the blood letter to report to the Spy Department, and this lieutenant, too, slanders me as a remnant of the Liu Family! If I were a remnant of the Liu Family, why would I come to the camp of the Thousand-year Army?!"

An uproar ensued through the camp.

Chen Ji’s crescent blade of the long spear cut deeper into the lieutenant’s neck, drawing a line of blood: "If you don’t tell the truth now, I’ll take your life this instant, and we’ll die together."

The lieutenant sneered: "How will you escape if you kill me?"

Chen Ji suddenly loudly said: "Fellow soldiers, take a good look at me. At Lu Hun Manor that day, the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess were at my side, I was leading the horse for the Commandery Princess!"

Some soldiers recognized Chen Ji: "I remember him, I thought he was a Yibin from the Prince Mansion!"

Though they mistook his identity as Princely Consort for Yibin, Commandery Princess Consort, many indeed recognized Chen Ji.

Chen Ji slightly relaxed, just about to say something else, when from the corner of his eye, he saw a figure in lieutenant armor climbing the watchtower, his expression stern as he drew a bow to shoot a cold arrow, and the camp gate was slowly closing!

He suddenly turned, using the body of the lieutenant in front of him to block the arrow.

This was bad, too many in this camp had been bought!

Chen Ji discarded the body he was holding, sprinting with all his might while hurling the long spear at the lieutenant on the watchtower. The spear, heavy and forceful, forced the lieutenant to duck down, barely grazing over his head and shattering the wooden top of the watchtower.

As the gates of the Thousand-year Army’s camp were slowly closing, in the nick of time, Chen Ji leaped forward, squeezing through the closing gap.

As his body hit the ground, he suddenly propped himself up with his hands, then, with one more burst of strength, sprang forward like a cheetah, not stopping for a moment.

Arrows were fired at him en masse, yet none could catch up to his pace; they could only nail into the footprints he left behind.

Chen Ji reached his horse, quickly mounted, and fiercely spurred the horse’s flanks. The horse darted forth like an arrow released from the bowstring, leaving the tumult and noise far behind.

Chen Ji continuously spurred his horse, forcing it to accelerate time and again, but his war horse was already too exhausted to run, managing only a slow trot.

He looked back to confirm no one was pursuing, then breathed a sigh of relief.

But what to do now?

If General Wang handed the blood letter to Bai Long, the blood letter would be the evidence that Prince Jing orchestrated the prison break by the Thousand-year Army, which was also a crime of treason.

Moreover, once the blood letter fell into Bai Long’s hands, Chen Ji would also become a co-conspirator... perhaps if he could catch up to General Wang, there might still be a chance to turn things around, but he was destined not to catch up; the other was much faster than him.

...

...

Four hours later, when the horizon showed the head of Luocheng, Chen Ji’s hand that held the reins gradually tightened, and his war horse slowed down, eventually stomping in place.

He looked at the city gate ahead, his expression grave: it was still possible to escape from Ning Dynasty.

Just like Si Caogui and Wu Hongbiao, first heading to Jinling and Yangzhou to lie low, hiding on a boat on Qinhuai River for a month or two, then taking a detour north to Jing Dynasty.

From then on, the affairs of Ning Dynasty would have nothing to do with him, all those people, all those matters, would one day be forgotten.

Chen Ji seemed to see a road paved with white bones leading into the city, with pristine snow falling onto the shattered bones, the broken bone fragments like an assortment of thorns, once stepped upon, there was no turning back.

In a daze, he looked up, only to see snowflakes actually drifting down from the sky, the third snow of this winter in Luocheng.

To leave, or to stay?

He could not leave.

The next moment, Chen Ji sped up his horse and charged into Luocheng City. When he neared the inner prison, he suddenly heard someone calling his name, "Chen Ji, what are you doing here?"

Chen Ji abruptly turned around and saw Jin Zhu dismounting from a carriage with West Wind.

Confused, he asked, "Lord Jin Zhu, weren’t you capturing Consort Yun? Why have you come to the inner prison?"

Jin Zhu was fuming, "I’m here searching for clues about Consort Yun. Suddenly, Bai Long sent someone with an order summoning all the zodiac to the inner prison. I don’t know what mischief he’s up to now, treating us all like monkeys, summoning us at will!"

Saying this, he knocked on the iron door of the inner prison, "Open the door!"

Once the prison guard opened the door, Jin Zhu walked down the staircase first. When he noticed Chen Ji had not moved, he turned his head back, confused, "Come on, what are you staring at?"

Chen Ji hummed and followed him down. He didn’t know why Bai Long had suddenly summoned all the zodiac, nor did he know what would happen next.

He only knew that his life, along with those of Prince Jing, the Princely Heir, and the Commandery Princess, hung by a thread.

Entering the dim corridor, Chen Ji saw at the end of it, a crowd had gathered in front of A-1 Prison Cell with Feng Daban and Bai Long standing shoulder to shoulder.

As he passed by A-7 Prison Cell again, the Princely Heir and Bai Li were gripping the bars inside the cage, the Princely Heir asked Jin Zhu urgently, "Lord Jin Zhu, what’s happening? Why are so many people here? What are you going to do?"

Jin Zhu and Chen Ji did not answer.

When the two reached the front of A-1 Prison Cell, Bai Long remained silent, his expression hidden behind his mask.

Feng Daban slightly smiled and spoke, "Gentlemen, you have worked hard recently, first quelling the treason of the Liu Family and then capturing the chief culprit of the rebellion in Prince Jing’s mansion."

Chen Ji’s pupils dilated suddenly.

Next, Feng Daban pulled a page from his sleeve, written on it in fresh blood, "Today, Prince Jing wrote a blood letter, ordering the Thousand-year Army to come and raid the prison, committing a grave crime of conspiracy!"

Yun Yang, Jiao Tu, Meng Ji, and Jin Zhu exchanged glances—they had just learned of this too!

Feng Daban smiled and said, "Fortunately, we have young talents in the Ritual Supervision who deceived the blood letter from Prince Jing’s hands and handed it to me immediately, preventing a major error from being made by Prince Jing and the Thousand-year Army... Isn’t that right, Chen Ji?"

Yun Yang, Jiao Tu, Meng Ji, and others turned to look at Chen Ji, a trace of indescribable expression flashing in their eyes, everyone aware of his close association with Prince Jing’s Mansion but not expecting him to be the one betraying Prince Jing.

Chen Ji stood frozen in his spot.

He had thought the blood letter would be with Bai Long, but it turned out to be Feng Daban who had orchestrated everything behind the scenes, with Bai Long remaining silent throughout.

What was Feng Daban’s identity? Binghu? Or someone not one of the zodiac but ranked above them?

He knew the blood letter had been deceitfully obtained by General Wang and given to Feng Daban, yet now Feng Daban claimed it was he who had deceived it from Prince Jing.

Why?

Why?

Why?

Chen Ji turned his head toward A-1 Prison Cell, only to see Prince Jing looking directly at him, his eyes neither sad nor happy, devoid of emotion.

In the damp, cold inner prison, Chen Ji felt his mind burst as if something had exploded.

Jin Zhu elbowed Chen Ji, lowering his voice to remind him, "Speak up!"

Regaining his composure, feeling cold inside, Chen Ji bowed and said, "Replying to Feng Daban, I merely did my duty within my role."

Feng Daban gave a slight nod, "Don’t be modest. If not for you, it would have been difficult for our Ritual Supervision to convict Prince Jing of the crime. This is a great achievement. Once I return to Jinling, I will report to the Lord Prime Minister to further commend your efforts."

With that, he smiled and pulled out a white scroll from his sleeve, "Just in time, the order for your promotion to the position of Hai Dongqing’s Prime Minister has arrived. Congratulations. Continue to avoid arrogance and complacency in achieving success, our Ritual Supervision indeed needs such young talents to serve the country."

Chen Ji stepped forward to take the scroll, "Thank you, Feng Daban."

Feng Daban smiled half-heartedly, "Don’t thank me, thank the Lord Prime Minister for his recognition of you. In three days, Bai Long, Yun Yang, Jiao Tu, and Jin Zhu will escort Prince Jing to Jinling."

He then turned to speak to Bai Long, "If you please, Lord Bai Long, let us together move to Prince Jing’s mansion to take inventory and discuss the travel arrangements back to Jinling."

Bai Long smiled, "Very well."

Once the two had left, Jiao Tu cocked his head, curiously inspecting Chen Ji, "Actually, in handling Prince Jing’s mansion matter, even if you had deliberately taken it easy, nobody would have said anything, given that you and the Princely Heir, Commandery Princess are friends. I didn’t expect you to be so ruthless, personally stabbing them."

Chen Ji remained silent.

Yun Yang said smilingly, "You are indeed becoming more like one of the zodiac."

Suddenly, Chen Ji smiled and said, "You flatter me, Lord Yun Yang. I am fortunate to be promoted to Hai Dongqing and am planning to host a celebratory banquet tomorrow at Yingxian Building. I wonder if I could have the honor of your presence?"

Jin Zhu laughed heartily, "Let’s go; we’ll all go to celebrate your achievements! Hey, Meng Ji, come have a drink too. When was the last time we drank together? Wasn’t it when His Majesty hosted a banquet for his officials?"

Meng Ji dusted off his sleeves carelessly and said, "Drinking is just drinking, no big deal."

Jin Zhu turned to Yun Yang and Jiao Tu, "What about you two? Give some face, man. We’re all colleagues, not enemies."

Before Yun Yang could respond, Jiao Tu cheerfully answered, "Sure, let’s go together. But I want a thirty-year-old stored Huadiao wine, no less than that."

"Alright, if the Huadiao is less than that, I’ll chop off the head of the Yingxian Building’s owner and kick it around like a ball!" Jin Zhu, slinging his arm around Chen Ji’s shoulder, walked him out, "Come on, let’s go. I’ll host this celebration banquet for you. I was worried you might do something foolish earlier, but seeing you’ve wised up, I’m even happier than you. Just remember, all the flattery in the world doesn’t matter; real power comes from holding it in your hands!"

As they passed by A-7 Prison Cell, Chen Ji instinctively glanced inside.

Bai Li’s tears streamed down her face, eventually gathering at her chin and dripping to the floor. The iron bars between them seemed like an immense chasm, unreachable.

Turning away, Chen Ji smiled and said, "How could I let Lord Jin Zhu host? I’ve been promoted to Hai Dongqing; it’s only natural that I should do the honors."