Green Mountain
Chapter 239: Life, Destiny

Chapter 239: Life, Destiny

The distinct sound of the copper whistle, like swifts in the rain, floated over the rooftops and into the dark alleys.

In the alleys, the Jiefan Guard with their dour hats all looked up at the night sky. Upon hearing the clear sound of the copper whistle, they too took out their own whistles and blew them.

The calls of the copper whistles echoed outward like ripples, as the Jiefan Guard converged toward the inner prison like bees returning to their nest.

Viewed from the sky, the heavy falling snow was like a checkerboard, the alleys like squares, and the dense Jiefan Guard like chess pieces – someone had set the board and invited guests into the jar.

Before the Jiefan Guard could arrive, Liang Gou’er lay on the ridge of a roof and whispered urgently to Chen Ji, "Run, the Jiefan Guard will be here any moment. This is a trap!"

In front of the inner prison, Chen Ji did not reply.

Staring at the pitch-black stone steps leading into the inner prison, he felt a chill wind rushing out. The prison guards had already retreated into the darkness within, and the wall lamps engraved with the Eight Diagram Array had been extinguished at some unknown time.

Chen Ji was puzzled.

Why would a prison guard carry a hand crossbow? They had never worn one before.

How could a prison guard be so vigilant? He happened to encounter the only elite among them?

Snow settled on Chen Ji’s head, shoulders, and heart. He felt a coldness rising from deep within, spreading throughout his body like an ice flow.

He finally understood the source of his recent feelings of powerlessness – everything had been meticulously orchestrated, and in addition to the Liu Family, Prince Jing, and the Luotian Sect, he was also a pawn in this scheme!

Who was plotting against him? And why?

To save them, or to leave? This was a deadly question.

Amidst his contemplation, the sound of cartwheels rolling over cobblestones approached from afar.

Chen Ji turned to see a convoy led by Zhang Zhuo, hauling grain and fodder for the Luocheng Mansion Soldiers, causing a chaotic traffic jam in the vicinity.

The arrow was on the string, and he had to shoot!

Chen Ji glanced back at Liang Gou’er on the roof, "I’m sorry, Brother Gou’er, I lied to you. I don’t even know if you can really meet Jiang Liuxian with that letter. You should leave now, it’s not too late. The Spy Department won’t know you were involved in this."

Liang Gou’er exclaimed angrily, "You’ll definitely die if you go in now!"

Chen Ji did not look back as he entered the inner prison, "It’s fine, there’s nothing left here for me to look forward to anyway."

With that, he descended the steps toward the depths of the inner prison.

After hesitating for a few moments, She Dengke leapt from the rooftop and dashed into the inner prison with Chen Ji.

In the midst of the heavy snowfall, only Liang Gou’er and Liang Mao’er remained on the rooftop.

Liang Gou’er lay there, his expression conflicted. Watching the Jiefan Guard approach, he turned to leave, "Mao’er, let’s go. Let’s not get involved in this mess!"

However, before he could fully turn, he was seized firmly by the arm by Liang Mao’er, "Brother, both the Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess are good people; we can’t leave."

Impatiently trying to break free from Liang Mao’er’s grasp, Liang Gou’er was unable to. He sighed, "What does it matter to us if they’re good people? Haven’t we helped enough people before, only to be repaid with betrayal? When our family was in trouble, they all came to kick us while we were down, every one of them ungrateful dogs!"

"I remember when our father saved Li Xuan. He was nearly killed by his enemies and was only left with half a life when our father stepped in to rescue him. But what was the result? That Poison Minister created some Martial Alliance to assimilate martial artists from all over, offering them official positions and rations. Li Xuan, afraid my father would compete with him for the leadership of the Martial Alliance, ambushed him after a night’s drinking!"

Liang Gou’er glared at his younger brother, "Our father saved Zhou You and his son when they were destitute and nearly starved to death on the streets. What happened in the end? After my father was injured by Li Xuan, he was escorting a shipment. No one knew of his injury, except Zhou You and his son, who, in their greed, revealed this information to the Taihang Mountain bandits, costing our father his life! Over the years, I’ve killed Li Xuan, Zhou You and his son, accumulating a mountain of blood debts. If I am wounded or die, how would you survive when our enemies come for revenge?"

Mao’er remained silent.

Gou’er looked at his brother, his eyes filled with anger, "Are you leaving or not? If you don’t, I will!"

Mao’er slowly loosened his grip and spoke earnestly, "Brother, their ingratitude is their wrongdoing, not ours. Brother, what is our family’s creed?"

Liang Gou’er was taken aback, "Mao’er, the Jianghu is not the same as it used to be..."

Mao’er stood up from the ridge, looking earnestly down at his brother, "Those who roam the Jianghu must be honest in word and resolute in action, abide by their promises, and live with integrity. They should prefer an honorable death to a life of cowardice, viewing death with equanimity. The Princely Heir and the Commandery Princess have treated us with honesty. If we leave now, how are we any different from those scoundrels?"

Mao’er continued, "Brother, do you remember the last eight words our father told you before he passed away?"

Gou’er murmured, "One misstep causes countless troubles..."

Mao’er lowered his gaze, "You didn’t live up to them."

As his words settled, a Jiefan Guard with his hand on his waist knife approached the inner prison. As he was about to storm in, Mao’er leaped from the rooftop, landing directly behind the guard.

Feeling a shadow press down from behind, the guard instinctively turned with his knife drawn, but before he could complete the motion, he was hoisted into the air by Mao’er.

"Go!"

With a forceful throw from Mao’er, the Jiefan Guard was flung several yards away.

He saw the guard hit the snow-covered ground, bounce up forcefully, and slide several yards before coming to a halt. His dour hat had been lost who knew where.

Struggling to rise from the snow, the guard shook his head, unable to believe the distance between himself and Mao’er – to be thrown so far!

He turned and spat out a mouthful of blood. Reaching to his collar, he slowly took off his straw raincoat, revealing the black uniform beneath with a red embroidered python that stretched from his shoulder to his chest.