Green Mountain
Chapter 362 - 299, small flag officer

Chapter 362: 299, small flag officer

Chen Ji stepped out from the end of the line, passing by the Yulin Army, Chen Liqin, Li Xuan, and the Crown Prince, looking straight ahead. Everyone’s eyes followed him as he slowly walked towards the brightly lit Renshou Palace.

An official from Honglu Temple looked at the Crown Prince, Junior Scholar, and Yulin Army Commander still waiting for orders outside the palace, then at the back of Chen Ji, his eyes filled with confusion, but he could only suppress it silently.

In front of Renshou Palace stood the "Filial Piety and Brotherly Love Stele", with the first line of the inscription: Filial piety and brotherly love are the foundation of benevolence.

Chen Ji’s gaze swept over the inscription, not in the mood to read further.

Just before stepping into the palace gate.

A middle-aged man in a Python Robe at the gate calmly said, "Answer whatever His Majesty asks you, do not act on your own, and do not deceive the Emperor."

This Python Robe eunuch was imposing, not like a court minister, but rather like a prince.

In the offices of the Inner Court, only two people could wear Python Robes: one was Chief Eunuch Xu Wenhe, known as the Prime Minister or Poison Minister; the other was Chief Eunuch Wu Xiu, who had just seized control of the Jiefan Guard from the Prime Minister and was attending to His Majesty.

The one in front of him should be Wu Xiu.

Chen Ji cupped his hands and said, "Understood."

He lifted his robe and stepped over the high threshold. Inside the hall, he saw someone sitting cross-legged like a dragon behind the hanging gauze curtains. On the beams hung wooden plaques with "Five Thunder Talisman" consecrated by the Laojun Mountain Dao Court, and the ceiling was painted with the twenty-eight constellations. The floor was covered with green gold bricks from the Imperial Kiln of Suzhou Prefecture, etched with the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper.

As soon as Chen Ji stepped into Renshou Palace, he felt a palpable imperial presence pressing down on him, suppressing the five hundred and fifty flames within his body, like candles in the wind.

Not only the flames but his entire body felt heavy.

Chen Ji was puzzled; second-grade officials were supposed to be immune to magic, yet the imperial presence of a worldly emperor was so overpowering that being within twenty steps would suppress one’s cultivation?

In the next moment, the few streams of Ice Flow within his Dantian started to whirl furiously, coveting the emperor behind the gauze. He had felt this almost uncontrollable instinctive desire when he met Prince Jing.

Not just Emperor Ning but everyone in Renshou Palace.

Two elderly men were seated on embroidered stools to the left, the first with a gold foil crown, Official Xu.

The other holding a Blood Rhinoceros Tablet, Mr. Qi.

Two more elderly men sat on the right, the first with a Mutton Fat Jade Belt, Official Hu.

The other with white hair and a Yang Green Jade Belt, Official Chen.

All in red robes.

This Renshou Palace almost gathered the most powerful figures of the Ning Dynasty, and the Ice Flow within him seemed to scream to kill them all!

Kill them all!

At this moment, Zhang Zhuo, standing behind Official Xu, winked at Chen Ji, bringing him back to his senses and calming his thoughts.

He knelt and prostrated himself: "Commoner Chen Ji, respectfully wishes Your Majesty well."

Renshou Palace fell silent, and everyone’s eyes focused on Chen Ji’s back as if trying to see through him.

After an eternity, Emperor Ning’s voice came slowly from behind the gauze: "Rise and speak."

Chen Ji stood up, bowed his head, and replied, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emperor Ning remained silent behind the gauze, and the ministers behind the officials held their breath.

Finally, Official Xu asked slowly, "Chen Ji, you are also a hero for protecting the emperor, killing over a hundred Heavenly Strategy Army soldiers, yet Hu Junxian did not mention you at all in his memorial. Is there some grudge between you two?"

Chen Ji did not understand politics and did not know if this question harbored goodwill or malice. He thought he was just here to go through the motions but did not expect to be summoned alone for an "interrogation".

At this moment, seeing him not answering, Zhang Zhuo sternly said, "Chen Ji, answer the Official’s question truthfully!"

Chen Ji steadied himself and replied, "To the Official, to Lord Zhang, I bear no personal grudge against General Hu."

Zhang Zhuo pressed on, "Then why did he leave you out when reporting the merits?"

Chen Ji pondered for a moment, "My mentor Wang Daosheng wrote a letter recommending me to General Hu for the Guyuan Border Army. General Hu invited me to the Guyuan City Tower, expressing his intention to recruit me, but I refused."

Official Xu asked slowly, "Why did you refuse?"

Chen Ji cupped his hands and replied, "To the Official, because it was too far from home."

Official Xu asked again, "Do you know that Hu Junxian and the Ritual Supervision conspired, using the Crown Prince as bait to ambush the Heavenly Strategy Army?"

Chen Ji’s heart moved, realizing that the argument in Renshou Palace just now must have been about the merits and demerits of Hu Junxian and the Guyuan Border Army.

How would he answer? He should follow Zhang Zhuo’s hint to "answer truthfully".

Everyone present had their own stance, but only Zhang Zhuo truly wanted to help him.

Zhang Zhuo’s hint must be what Emperor Ning wanted to know.

On the side, Official Chen also spoke, "In front of His Majesty, you must not be evasive."

But Chen Ji thought of the wind-and-sand-filled city of Guyuan and lowered his eyes, saying softly, "Commoner does not know."

Zhang Zhuo rebuked loudly, "You experienced the battle of Guyuan firsthand and were by the Crown Prince’s side. How could you not know? Tell the truth!"

At this moment, a crisp ringing of a copper bell interrupted him, overshadowing all other sounds.

Everyone turned to look; the emperor behind the gauze was shaking a Daoist Three Mountains Bell, saying meaningfully, "Zhang Zhuo, stop hinting at him."

Zhang Zhuo quickly knelt, "Your Majesty, I was just worried he would waste Your Majesty’s time. I beg for your judgment."

Emperor Ning said calmly, "That boy from the Chen family overthinks everything before speaking, afraid of saying the wrong thing, doing the wrong thing, or carrying the wrong responsibility. He does have the demeanor of an official, fit for the position of Cabinet Minister."

With these words, the four officials on the stools quickly knelt, "We beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness. We harbor no intentions of shirking responsibility."

Emperor Ning smiled behind the gauze, "All of you, rise. The ground is cold... Announce Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo."

After the two entered Renshou Palace, Official Xu asked, "Do you know that Hu Junxian and the Ritual Supervision conspired, using the Crown Prince as bait to ambush the Heavenly Strategy Army?"

Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo glanced at each other, and Mr. Qi said softly, "Speak the truth."

However, surprising everyone, before Qi Zhenzhuo could speak, Li Xuan hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "To the Official, I do not know."

Mr. Qi frowned, "Qi Zhenzhuo, you speak."

Qi Zhenzhuo hesitated for a moment, "I really don’t know. I only heard the commander of the Heavenly Strategy Army, Yuan Zhen, say publicly that the innkeeper of Dragon Gate Inn had betrayed the Crown Prince’s whereabouts, and this innkeeper was once an advisor for the Guyuan Border Army... But he resigned over ten years ago."

Official Hu finally spoke, his eyes sharp and voice hoarse, "Where is he now?"

"Dead."

Official Hu nodded, "An unverified matter."

Qi Zhenzhuo added, "Yuan Zhen said it in front of many people..."

Before he could finish, Official Hu unhurriedly said, "The enemy’s words cannot be taken at face value."

Qi Zhenzhuo was at a loss for words.

Official Chen tremblingly stood up and cupped his hands, "Your Majesty, summon the witness."

Emperor Ning shook the Three Mountains Bell behind the gauze.

In the next moment, two Jiefan Guards brought in a disheveled scholar in green robes. Chen Ji was stunned when he saw the man.

Mr. Feng?

Wait, if Mr. Feng was detained, then who was the masked Bai Long just now... Could it be that this Mr. Feng was not Bai Long’s real face either?

Chen Ji felt a headache coming on.

He heard Official Xu calmly ask, "Feng Wenzheng, what is your identity?"

Mr. Feng knelt and replied loudly, "Spy Department of Ritual Supervision, Twelve Signs, Hai Dongqing."

Official Xu asked again, "Someone reported that you were involved in the ambush of the Heavenly Strategy Army and the betrayal of the Crown Prince. Is this true?"

Mr. Feng knelt, his voice sorrowful, "As an inner minister, I acted recklessly, disregarding the safety of the national reserves, deserving of death."

Official Xu focused and asked, "Feng Wenzheng, was this treasonous act at anyone’s behest?"

Mr. Feng replied, "No one ordered it. It was my own initiative."

Official Xu asked, "Who was the mastermind, you or Hu Junxian?"

Mr. Feng said softly, "I was the mastermind, and I falsely conveyed an imperial decree to Hu Junxian."

Official Xu looked across, "Official Hu, anything to say?"

Official Hu slowly closed his eyes, "Nothing more."

The emperor behind the gauze said calmly, "Draft the decree."

Wu Xiu came in from outside, instructed two little eunuchs to bring in a table, and then prepared to write.

Emperor Ning slowly said, "Feng Wenzheng of the Spy Department, for forging an imperial decree and acting recklessly, though he has merits in killing the enemy, will be imprisoned in the inner prison, awaiting execution; General Hu Junxian, for failing to see through matters and being an accomplice, will be fined three years of salary, demoted from Second-Grade Dragon Tiger General to Fourth-Grade Mingwei General, and will remain in his position as Guyuan General; Deputy General Zhou You, also an accomplice, will be demoted from Third-Grade Zhao Yong General to Sixth-Grade Zhao Xin Colonel, and will serve as thousand-household officer; Guyuan Advisor..."

After the outer court appointments were completed, Emperor Ning continued, "Chief Eunuch Xu Wenhe of Ritual Supervision, for failing to recognize talent, will be fined three years’ salary and demoted three ranks. The vacant positions of Deputy General and Advisor of Guyuan, Zhang Zhuo, you draft a list of recommendations and send it to the palace tomorrow."

Zhang Zhuo cupped his hands, "Yes."

Chen Ji understood that General was a position, and Second-Grade Dragon Tiger General was a rank, and they were two different systems. If the emperor and officials deemed it necessary, a Sixth-Grade military officer could also serve as a general.

But the continuous demotions of both inner and outer courts were making his head spin.

He only realized that today the Chen, Qi, and Xu families had joined forces to target the Hu family. The rest he would have to ponder later or ask Zhang Zhuo and Zhang Xia for explanations.

But would Mr. Feng really be executed?

Could it be that Mr. Feng was merely a puppet of Bai Long? Did the other party use Mr. Feng’s identity to preside over Guyuan, all for this moment to reveal their dagger to the Hu family?

At this moment, Zhang Zhuo cupped his hands, "Your Majesty, the criminals have been punished, but the heroes have not yet been rewarded."

Emperor Ning stood up behind the gauze and slowly walked towards the depths of Renshou Palace, "Thirty-five members of the Yulin Army will be promoted two ranks, Li Xuan and Qi Zhenzhuo will have their merits and demerits offset. I am tired, you may leave."

Zhang Zhuo watched the disappearing figure, gritting his teeth, "Your Majesty, what about Chen Ji? During the Guyuan incident, the Crown Prince issued an emergency decree, promoting Chen Ji to the rank of Standard Sixth-Rank Right Guard in the Eastern Palace..."

Emperor Ning paused, "He is still young, let him gain some experience first. Assign him as a small flag officer in the Imperial Army, teaching military skills and martial arts."

Zhang Zhuo hesitated to speak.

In an instant, the Standard Sixth-Rank Right Guard position turned into a Secondary Seventh-Rank small flag officer. He looked at the calm-faced Chen Ji standing at attention and could only sigh.