Green Mountain
Chapter 359 - 296, Sworn Brotherhood_2

Chapter 359: 296, Sworn Brotherhood_2

Zhang Xia furrowed her brows, "Father said..."

Zhang Zheng sighed, "Father said, as long as there’s a change on the throne, there will be a chance to redress Prince Jing. But the current Holy Emperor is in the prime of his life, and can live another thirty years at least. In thirty years, the Commandery Princess will be forty-seven, and Chen Ji will be forty-eight. Are we really going to see him waste his life away without marrying? How many thirty years does one have in life?"

Zhang Xia was silent for a moment, "Maybe there are other ways."

Zhang Zheng interrupted, "Within the grand inner palace, masters of the Jiefan Guard are as numerous as clouds, unless Chen Ji enters the Divine Realm, what other way is there to make a deal with the Heavenly Family? But among the numerous officers of the two dynasties, how many can enter the Divine Realm?"

He questioned, "Axia, he saved you so many times, don’t tell me you are not moved. I would be moved if it were me. During the final battle at Guyuan, you two rode on the same horse. What were you thinking when you pressed your forehead against his back? At Mengjin Inn, you feared he would catch a cold and asked me to bring him a large cloak; at Dragon Gate Inn, you worried he hadn’t eaten and asked me to leave food for him. But I can’t always be by your side, how many more things can I do for you? Chen Ji is so smart; if I do too much, he will surely notice."

At this point, Zhang Zheng softened his tone, "Axia, sometimes one has to be a little selfish."

Zhang Xia listened to her brother say much, gazing at the night slowly, "Brother, Chen Ji is not one to care about rules. Until today, he still calls Mr. Chen, but for the sake of entering the palace this time, he repeatedly studied the rules. Do you know why?"

Zhang Zheng was stunned, "Why?"

Zhang Xia softly said, "Tomorrow, he will wear the clothes the Commandery Princess gave him to meet her. With him, he carries the years and years of letters she wrote to him. It was a reunion he anticipated after traveling thousands of miles and killing hundreds of people."

Zhang Zheng was at a loss for words.

Zhang Xia stood in the dark night, the night breeze howling fiercely, but the moon in the sky was not hers.

She looked at Zhang Zheng with resolute expression, "Brother, I, Zhang Xia, never take advantage of others’ misfortune, nor do I steal what belongs to others. What’s theirs, is theirs. He and the Commandery Princess are a match made in heaven, he saved my life, and I am grateful to him. It’s nothing else, and it can’t be anything else."

"He saved me three times, and I’ll repay him three times. Since the method of saving the Commandery Princess previously failed, I will kneel before our uncle until I become an officer, practicing day and night to help save her! If he can’t reach the Divine Realm, I will reach the Divine Realm to help him make this deal with the Heavenly Family! If one Divine Realm is not enough, then two Divine Realms!"

Zhang Zheng said bitterly, "You two stayed in the same room in Guyuan. There are no walls that don’t leak. If one day this matter reaches the Imperial Capital, who would dare marry you?"

"I will take care of it!"

With that, Zhang Xia turned and walked to the inn, finding the night-duty attendant at the counter, "Bring me some wine!"

The attendant asked curiously, "What kind of wine does the Second Miss Zhang want?"

Zhang Xia said boldly, "The strongest!"

She carried the strongest Fire Saber back to her room, and pushed the door open.

Xiao Man, with a smiling face, was about to continue the conversation, "Sister Axia, what did Zhang Zheng just mean by ’how about’?"

Zhang Xia said seriously, "Chen Ji, let’s become sworn siblings, all four of us."

Both Xiao Man and Chen Ji felt it was a bit unexpected.

It was so abrupt, as if a knight were resolutely cutting off their escape route.

Chen Ji spoke softly, "Zhang..."

Zhang Xia interrupted, "Don’t say anything, no nonsense!"

She didn’t explain further, decisively breaking open the wax seal, slicing her palm with a knife, letting her blood drip into the wine jug, "Now it’s your turn!"

There was no room for objection.

Chen Ji smiled, just like when she came to the Taiping Medical Hall, and boldly asked, "Who is Chen Ji?"

The girl in red, as fiery as ever, riding on horseback, had always been the most straightforward.

Zhang Xia was still Zhang Xia, unchanged.

Chen Ji cut his palm and let his blood drip into the wine, then it was Xiao Man, and finally Zhang Zheng.

Zhang Zheng was about to swear, suddenly thought of something and pointed at Xiao Man, "Wait, how can she join us in swearing?"

Xiao Man was a bit flustered, clutching at her clothes, "Um, I’m just a maid, what’s the point of swearing, Sister Axia, you guys go ahead."

Zhang Zheng quickly said, "No, no, that’s not what I meant. I mean, you three can swear, I won’t swear... forget it!"

He cut his palm and let his blood drip into the wine jug too.

Zhang Xia hoisted the jug and took a big gulp, then knelt down before the bright moon outside the window, "Today, Zhang Zheng, Zhang Xia, Chen Ji, and Yao Man swear to become sworn siblings. We don’t seek to be born on the same day of the same year, but to die on the same day of the same year. Heaven and earth, witness our hearts. Should we break our oath and forget our gratitude, may the heavens and people punish us together!"

Chen Ji, Zhang Zheng, and Xiao Man echoed together, "Today, Zhang Zheng, Zhang Xia, Chen Ji, and Yao Man swear to become sworn siblings. We don’t seek to be born on the same day of the same year, but to die on the same day of the same year. Heaven and earth, witness our hearts. Should we break our oath and forget our gratitude, may the heavens and people punish us together!"

The four unexpectedly pledged themselves as siblings, so sudden, yet like a dream under the moonlight.

Zhang Xia said, "My brother is the oldest; he is the eldest brother, I am the second sister, Chen Ji is the third brother, and Xiao Man is the fourth sister!"

Then, she took off a Buddhist Treasure bracelet from her wrist and handed it to Chen Ji, "This is worth 600 taels of silver, take it as a meeting gift from your second sister."

Chen Ji did not refuse.

Zhang Xia then pulled a Red Jade Hairpin from her hair and handed it to Xiao Man, "I’ve worn this for many years. It was a gift from our father, and today it’s for you."

Xiao Man obediently said, "Thank you, second sister!"

Zhang Xia then looked at Zhang Zheng, "What about you? Show a gesture!"

Zhang Zheng coughed twice, "What good would I have on me? I’ll make up for it when we return to the Imperial Capital, I promise!"

Chen Ji bowed his head in thought for a moment, then looked up seriously and asked, "Second sister, do you wish to cultivate in the official path?"

Zhang Xia smiled, "I do, of course I do. When we return to the Imperial Capital, I’ll find our uncle, and if he still refuses to grant me the official path, then I’ll ignore him forever."

"No need, I have it here," Chen Ji picked up a brush and began writing a scripture.

The whole piece had 239 sentences, totaling 1,673 words.

Zhang Xia read softly at the side, "Before the Upper Qing Purple Mist Emperor, lies the Supreme Daoist Yuchen. Idle in Ruizhu to make seven words, transforming into five shapes to manifest ten thousand spirits. This is the Yellow Court named Inner Chapter, the heart of the qin compositional fold creates the fetal immortal. Nine breaths of light emerge from the sky, an immortal cover child produces purple mist. This is the Jade Book to be refined carefully, reciting it millions of times ascends to the three heavens..."

She looked up abruptly, "What is this?"

Chen Ji met her gaze, "Official gateway. Don’t ask where it’s from, don’t ask its name, and don’t tell Supervisor Xu. Memorize it well, word by word, sentence by sentence."

Shrouding Cloud.

This was the official gateway that the Prime Minister had delivered to Luocheng City by urgent delivery of 600 miles.

Jin Zhu had said, Qi Zheyun joined the border army at sixteen, and in three years, he killed over ten generals of the Jing Dynasty in battles. In the winter of the seventeenth year of Jianing, he led 300 cavalry 600 miles deep into Jing territory, capturing the Marquis Chicheng alive. In the spring of the twenty-first year of Jianing, Qi Zheyun fell into an ambush and died, and the official gateway fell into the hands of the Ritual Supervision.

Though Chen Ji didn’t know the details, since it involved the Forty-nine Heavens, he had to be cautious.

Zhang Zheng and Xiao Man crowded around, but Zhang Xia, after sweeping her gaze over the scriptural essentials, immediately placed the paper over the candle flame, even hiding it from her brother.

Zhang Zheng muttered, "Why be so petty, what if I’m also talented in cultivation?"

Zhang Xia said sternly, "Chen Ji took a great risk to bring forth this, the less trouble the better. You two better not look."

Zhang Zheng shrugged, "Fine, fine, not looking... Chen Ji, what realm can this official gateway reach?"

Cherishing what Jin Zhu had said, this Qi Zheyun aimed to be the first Martial Saint in two dynasties, unifying the land. Such an official pathway from the Forty-nine Heavens must have a sky-high upper limit.

After pondering a moment, Chen Ji ultimately concealed the details, "I don’t know either, second sister, try it out first."

Earlier, after cultivating Purple Qi from the East, it was severed by the sword seed, so he was unclear on the changes within this gateway.

Zhang Xia closed her eyes, quietly reciting Shrouding Cloud. After about 15 minutes, she suddenly opened her eyes and pointed casually at the candle stand.

Everyone felt a surge in the room, the candle flame... wavered.

Zhang Zheng hesitated, "Axia, maybe you’re not talented in cultivation?"

Xiao Man glared at him, "What do you know, the process of entering the official gateway can take months, even years, but Sister Axia managed it in fifteen minutes. Such talent is one in ten thousand... no, not even one in a hundred thousand or a million."

Zhang Xia looked at her palm, feeling the magical nature of the official gateway for the first time, "Chen Ji, thank you."

Chen Ji smiled, "No need for second sister to be polite."

At this moment, the drum of the fifth night watch sounded, a night patrol approached from afar, "The morning rooster crows, sleep early and rise early!"

There was also the sound of carriages and horses; the inn became lively.

Zhang Xia looked at Chen Ji, "Officials from Honglu Temple are here; go, and meet the one you wish to see."