Green Mountain
Chapter 290 - 232, Missing

Chapter 290: 232, Missing

"Hu Junxian!"

"Hu Junxian, if you have the guts, come out and speak clearly. Don’t hide on top of the city wall!"

The Yulin Army was shouting in front of the city gate, but Hu Junxian seemed deaf, ignoring them completely.

One Order Arrow after another was sent from the city gate tower, and one after another, the Border Soldiers carried out the orders, paying no attention to the Crown Prince or the Yulin Army.

Qi Zhenzhuo angrily said, "Your Highness, this Hu Junxian doesn’t take you seriously at all!"

The Crown Prince wrapped in a pristine fox fur cloak, blandly said, "Qi Zhenzhuo, do not lose your composure here. Where is the dignity of the Yulin Army? Stand down."

Qi Zhenzhuo’s mouth gaped open for a moment before ultimately bowing with a fist and retreating.

At this moment, the sound of footsteps approached as Vice General Zhou led a team of Border Soldiers past the side of the Yulin Army.

Zhou You coldly said, "I, as the General of the Guyuan City, Dusi Prefecture of the Daning Dynasty, am an honored Second Grade Official of the court. I will not tolerate the noisy clamor of you pampered young masters. Show some respect, we are soldiers who guard the borders, not cats and dogs tethered beneath the Imperial City."

Having said that, he led his troops to the city gate and, without a backward glance, ascended the steps to the city tower.

Li Xuan furrowed his brows, pondering for a moment, before turning to the Crown Prince and asking, "Your Highness, what should we do now that Hu Junxian has spread a huge lie to keep you here?"

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, sighing softly, "If only Mr. Qi were here, it’s a pity that he’s been summoned to the palace by my father and couldn’t come to Guyuan with us."

Li Xuan showed a look of embarrassment. They were all by the Crown Prince’s side, yet the Crown Prince lamented the absence of Mr. Qi, clearly indicating that he felt they were of little use.

The Crown Prince looked at Chen Liqin in his bright red official robe, "Mr. Chen, I heard earlier of your accomplishments in Luocheng City, and even my father has praised you... What are your thoughts?"

Chen Liqin thought for a moment and said, "Your Highness, please wait a moment. Allow me to negotiate with General Hu and ensure that he opens the gate to let us out."

The Crown Prince neither agreed nor disagreed.

Chen Liqin dismounted and walked toward the city gate, but before he could get close, he was blocked by two Border Soldiers crossing their long spears, aggressively blocking the way: "This is a military stronghold. Unauthorized individuals must stay back!"

Chen Liqin frowned, "This is neither the White Tiger Festival Hall nor the Governor’s Mansion’s council chamber. According to our Ning Dynasty’s military law, this is not a highly confidential military location. With the Crown Prince present, as a Junior Scholar of the Master’s Mansion and a Secondary Fourth-rank official, I am entitled to inquire into military matters during times of war. If you don’t understand the law, you’d better not talk nonsense!"

After listening to Chen Liqin, one of the Border Soldiers hesitated for a moment, then turned to his comrade, "What is a Junior Scholar?"

The other Border Soldier shook his head, "Sounds like a high-ranking position, but probably not higher than our General."

"Oh, since it’s not higher, then let’s follow our General’s orders."

Chen Liqin’s complexion turned alternately blue and purple with ridicule, as they disregarded even the military law!

He patiently negotiated with the Border Soldiers for thirty minutes but did not even set foot on the city gate tower, having to return with humiliation.

The Crown Prince said soothingly, "Mr. Chen, don’t be disheartened. The crass Border Soldiers’ lack of reason is not your fault."

Chen Liqin wanted to say more but ultimately remained silent.

Just as he had said to Mrs. Liang in Luocheng City, he was a capable official in governing a place but lacked the quick wit to handle danger. He had never anticipated having the position of a Junior Scholar, and somehow, the court had arranged for him to assist the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince gazed at the flickering torchlights on the city tower, finding himself in a dilemma.

Qi Zhenzhuo leaned in and whispered, "Your Highness, I know a way to leave the city."

The Crown Prince calmly said, "Go ahead."

Qi Zhenzhuo pondered for a moment, "After arriving in Guyuan, I heard that there are two secret tunnels in and out of the city. Traders use these tunnels to bypass the city gate, smuggling their illegal goods... Perhaps Your Highness could use the tunnels to leave?"

The Crown Prince glanced at him, "The Crown Prince skulking away through a tunnel, where would the dignity of the royal family be? Our Daning Dynasty has never had such a disgraceful Crown Prince, don’t mention it again."

Li Xuan, however, said from the side, "Your Highness, desperate times call for desperate measures. If anything were to happen to you..."

Before he could finish speaking, a voice came from not far away: "You must not leave the city."

The Crown Prince and Li Xuan turned their heads at the same time, just in time to see Chen Ji advancing on horseback: "Your Highness, now is not the time to leave the city."

Chen Liqin frowned and said, "What business do you have here? Stand down!"

Chen Ji bowed to the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, please look at how busy the border army is, this is not something prepared momentarily for a performance."

The Crown Prince, thoughtfully, asked, "What do you mean?"

Chen Ji pointed at the border soldiers and said, "The border army is short of military resources, ordinary soldiers can only wear bamboo armor, and their equipment is shabby. A hard bow that opens at one peck would cost eight silver taels at market price, and such bows are surely treasured by the soldiers at the border..."

Qi Zhenzhuo interrupted and said, "What exactly are you trying to say? Keep it short!"

Zhang Zheng snorted and was about to ride forward to argue with him.

Chen Ji raised his hand to stop Zhang Zheng and continued, "Hard bows are prone to splitting, and bowstrings made of ox tendons are fragile, so they are not strung when it’s not wartime. When we entered the city this afternoon, the bows of the border soldiers were tucked into the quivers on their backs without being strung. Now, all the border soldiers wearing hard bows have strung them with ox tendon strings, without exception. If it were just for a performance, the border army would not be so willing to do this."

Li Xuan shook his head, "This doesn’t prove anything. The ones performing are Hu Junxian and Zhou You, they just need to tell their soldiers that the enemy is invading, why would they share thoughts of rebellion with everyone? Thus, the border soldiers truly believe that the Jing Dynasty’s Heavenly Strategy Army is about to attack."

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment, then said, "Hasn’t anyone noticed that the fires on top of the city walls are unusually bright?"

The Crown Prince puzzledly asked, "What do you mean?"

Chen Ji explained, "Simply with torches, one could never produce such level of brightness. The city walls are bright as daylight because there are big fires burning outside the city... The border army is setting fires on the mountains outside, to prevent the Jing Dynasty’s army from cutting down trees to make siege equipment. If there wasn’t a real enemy approaching, General Hu wouldn’t have resorted to this."

Before others could speak, Chen Liqin angrily said, "Spouting military strategy with no practical knowledge, it’s as if you’ve seen the border army setting fires with your own eyes. I already told you to stand down; this is not a place for you to spout nonsense in front of His Highness."

Chen Ji fell silent for a moment and then turned his horse to retreat.

Chen Liqin bowed to the Crown Prince and said, "Your Highness, I have failed in my teaching and made you witness such a folly."

The Crown Prince hurriedly said, "Mr. Chen, there’s no need for this, Chen Ji was merely trying to provide counsel, there’s no need to blame him."

Chen Liqin replied, "Your Highness, the pressing matter is to be wary of the border army’s desperate moves. If they were to take the Crown Prince hostage, I’m afraid it would also place His Majesty in a difficult situation."

The Crown Prince bowed his head, silent.

Li Xuan quietly asked, "Does Your Highness also believe that the Jing Dynasty officials have infiltrated deep into our Ning Dynasty’s territory?"

The Crown Prince sat upon his horse, looking up towards the majestic city walls, "Chen Ji’s words aren’t completely without reason, this bastard son of the Chen family is observant and meticulous, not as incapable as Mr. Chen says. During the Liu family’s rebellion, when the Jing Dynasty’s troops approached Chongli Pass, if I remember correctly, the Heavenly Strategy Army was indeed absent. At that time, the officials in the court were confused about where the Heavenly Strategy Army had gone, and now thinking back, it’s highly possible they really came to Guyuan for a surprise attack."

Li Xuan pondered for a moment, "If the Heavenly Strategy Army really did come, Your Highness should leave Guyuan even more. Your life is precious; if Guyuan City is breached, I fear..."

The Crown Prince asked nonchalantly, "But if I leave now, what if I encounter Jing Dynasty officials outside the city?"

Li Xuan tried to reassure him, "Ziwu Ridge is treacherous and impassable to cavalry; provisions and baggage cannot be transported in. Even if the Heavenly Strategy Army sent officials to infiltrate, it would only be a handful of people aiming to cut off supplies and gather intelligence. With five hundred cavalry of the Yulin Army in formation, even if they face Jing Dynasty officials, they could cut them down. Your Highness, let’s go."

After a long silence, the Crown Prince shook his head, "General Li, I truly appreciate your kindness. But I am the Crown Prince of a nation; if the Jing Dynasty’s Heavenly Strategy Army were to indeed approach, I must share fate with Guyuan – I cannot flee without fighting. The Ning Dynasty relocated the Capital City from Jinling to the Imperial Capital, which signifies the Emperor’s intention to defend our nation’s gates. Those who are afraid of battle do not deserve the glorious lands of the Ning Dynasty."

Li Xuan bowed deeply upon hearing this, "Your Highness is right. Your broad-mindedness and courage embarrass me; you will surely become a great ruler one day..."

"Let’s not speak of undecided matters," the Crown Prince interrupted softly: "Commander Li, you need not blame yourself; I understand you are concerned for my safety... Let’s go, back to the Governor’s Mansion, we’ll take our time with everything else."

Saying this, he adjusted the fox fur mantle on his shoulders, took one last lingering look at the tower, and then turned his horse around.

The Yulin Army protected the Crown Prince as they sped back to the Governor’s Mansion through the night.

Upon arriving in front of the Governor’s Mansion, the Crown Prince dismounted and handed the reins to Li Xuan: "Please ensure Mr. Chen and his family are well settled..."

As he spoke, he glanced back: "Eh, where is Miss Zhang Xia?"

Li Xuan was slightly startled, and as he turned to look, there was no sign of Zhang Xia and Zhang Zheng among the ranks of the Yulin Army.

He hesitated, "Perhaps the Yulin Army marched too quickly, causing them to fall behind? Your Highness, you should rest inside first; I will take men to search for them immediately!"

Qi Zhenzhuo commented from the side, "Your Highness, I personally witnessed them take a different path on Shule Street, they left on their own accord, not because they fell behind. My guess is they were afraid of being harmed by the border army if they followed us, so they secretly fled. Not only Zhang Zheng and Zhang Xia left but also that youngster named Chen Ji and his maid."

The Crown Prince was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "In that case, let them be."